Participants: LTU Division of Space technology and NanoSpace.

Small satellites – known as nanosatellites – built today essentially lack their own means of propulsion, which limits their ability to maneuvre in space, thereby limiting what types of missions they can carry out.

Many actors around the world, and primarily in the USA, are currently developing different types of propulsion systems. In Sweden, work has been underway for several years to develop a miniaturised propulsion system for nanosatellites, and a first test flight in space is planned for 2015.

The project microPILS is intended as another step closer to the market by showing what capabilities are possible with one or more nanosatellites with on-board propulsion. This requires advanced simulations where the entire satellite system is considered, and where the actual propulsion system is included, in accordance with the “hardware in the loop” principle that Space Campus in Kiruna intends to base its new space lab on.

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