AEROS Constellation
Abstract
One of the most valuable resources we have to protect are the world’s Oceans. They have a prominent role in the Earth ecosystem, as they cover most of the Earth’s surface, contain millions of plants and animals, influence global weather, and produce about 70 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Oceans are thus essential for technological, scientific, economic and social development, having enabled exploration and commerce for hundreds of years. As Portugal starts to assume a stronger position as a robust space-faring nation, the Consortium looks for the scientific and economic synergies from New Space technologies and opportunities that could be leveraged to prospect, monitor and value the Oceans in a sustainable manner, aligned with both the “Atlantic Interactions” research agenda and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Consortium shall develop Portuguese technologies and competences to monitor and value the ocean, by combining national and international knowhow to build the AEROS nanosatellite constellation Managed from Portugal. AEROS is an integrated system of assets and capabilities including different existing, improved, and new platforms operating in the Ocean and Space, equipped with state-of-the-art sensors and technologies, all connected through a communication network linked to a data gathering, processing and dissemination system.
To promote the national scientific and entrepreneurial ecosystems, and boost the links and connections between both, AEROS combines private companies like Edisoft, SpinWorks and DST, universities, as UMinho, FCUP, UAlgarve, IST and IMAR, as well as research and interface institutions including CEiiA and +Atlantic. To fast track innovation and industrial development and the internationalization that AEROS can achieve, the national entities have partnered with researchers from different fields within MIT.
AEROS will develop and launch into orbit a new nanosatellite platform as a precursor to a future constellation that can leverage the great potential of the study of the Earth, its oceans and atmosphere in liaison with advanced communications technologies to deliver tangible scientific and economic value to society.
| Scientific Area | Earth Systems: Oceans to Near Space | |
| Leading Institution |  Hélder Silva Head of Space Software and Embedded Systems Manuel Coutinho Embedded Systems Technical Manager Teresa Cardoso Defense Security & Space Director José Freitas Space Systems – Sales & Business Development | |
| Participating Institutions | IMAR; CEiiA; AIR CENTRE ; SPINWORKS ; DSTELECOM ; +ATLANTIC ; University of Minho ; FCUP University of Porto ; University of Algarve ; Técnico, University of Lisbon ; MIT ; | |
| PT Research Team | From DSTelecom: Sérgio Fernandes Catarina Araújo Nuno Morgado From AIRCentre: Pedro Freire Silva Tânia Chen | From CEiiA: André João Inês Brandão Liliana Baptista From Spinworks : Tiago Hormigo |
| From University of Minho: Eduardo Pereira From University of Algarve: Flávio Martins João Janeiro From University of Porto : Frederico Francisco Orfeu Bertolami | From Técnico Lisboa : Joana Mendonça Rodrigo Lapa |
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| MIT PIs |  Prof. Kerri Cahoy MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics  Prof. Dava Newman MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and Harvard-MIT Health, Sciences and Technology |  Prof. Richard Linares MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
| Duration | 3 years | |
| Begin date | 19/11/2020 | |
| Project Website | http://www-aeros.edisoft.pt/ | |
| What the media says | News: – Correio do Minho – Antena Minho – TSF – Exame Informática – Expresso |
