The third workshop on Optimisation in Space Engineering (OSE) was jointly organised by the Turing Gateway to Mathematics (TGM), the University of Southampton, University of Birmingham, the European Space Agency (ESA), Airbus Defence and Space, University of Strathclyde and University of Bremen.

Background

There is a recognised need for technology improvements and further research in the area of optimisation in space engineering. The OSE initiative aims at providing space companies, universities, research institutes and organisations, with a forum of excellence to facilitate interactions that will lead to effective research strategies and solutions.

Various problems such as interplanetary trajectory optimisation, optimal rendezvous guidance, descent & landing trajectories and guided entry were highlighted by the first workshop that took place in November 2013 in Birmingham. A second workshop in March 2014 took forward the various identified challenges and issues and a key output was an initiative to develop a White Paper on the area and refinement of the technical challenges. This 3rd workshop helped to widen the sphere of expertise to Europe. More information about the OSE initiative is available.
 

Objectives

Participants were invited to share their latest engineering problems and proposed solutions, so as to promote the creation and exchange of ideas and the identification of new trends and required developments. The event was attended by over 35 participants from the UK and also from across Europe.

Space Mission Challenges

A space challenge competition was run as part of this event and an open discussion on this took place at the workshop. The challenges were chosen because of their relevance to actual space missions:

1. Optimal Area Mapping for the Asteroid Impact Mission AIM,

2. Optimal Trajectory for an Active Debris Removal Mission,

3. Optimal Deployment Strategy and Constellation Management.

Click to download the Challenges that were developed and discussed.
 

Venue and Accommodation

This workshop took place at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.

Delegates were responsible covering their own travel costs.