EOCognitiveLab Info Day

Tuesday 29 Sept 2026, 09:30 → 16:00 Europe/Amsterdam

Magellan (ESA-ESRIN)

Claudio Iacopino (ESA), Nicola Melega (Esa)

EOCognitiveLab brings together the evolution of the Φsat mission series and ESA's work on Cognitive Cloud Computing in Space for Earth Observation (3CS4EO). The activity is intended to demonstrate the added values unlocked by AI-enabled, cooperative Earth Observation capabilities across multiple heterogeneous satellites (including, event-based acquisition replanning, coordinated acquisitions), onboard processing and inter-satellite-link information exchange, for selected end-to-end Earth Observation use cases, and to establish an in-orbit laboratory for autonomous, distributed and software-defined Earth Observation missions.  

 

EOCognitiveLab is an open constellation concept built around a core two-satellite segment that is expandable via federation of additional space and ground assets. The activity will define the EOCognitiveLab architecture and deliver the mission orchestration framework, while focusing on the design, implementation, launch, and commissioning of the core mission. Equipped with advanced onboard computing capabilities, open intersatellite-link interfaces and supported by ground processing infrastructure and an exploitation platform for data distribution, experimentation, and community access, the architecture is designed to enable the seamless integration and coordinated operation of additional federated assets as the ecosystem evolves.

As an in-orbit laboratory, EOCognitiveLab will provide an open and expandable environment for additional in-orbit experimentation for ESA Members, Associated and Cooperating States EO community. Target experimentation areas include cooperative sensing, distributed processing, novel mission-orchestration approaches, onboard federated learning and fine-tuning, and other AI techniques relevant to distributed Earth Observation systems.  

 

The proposed activity will be implemented through a Mission Consolidation Phase followed, subject to a successful Gate Review, by a Mission Implementation Phase covering detailed design, development, integration, verification, launch, LEOP, commissioning and in-orbit verification up to the In-Orbit Commissioning Review. Mission operations are outside of the scope of the proposed activity.  

 

The activity will cover, in particular:  

• consolidation of the baseline Earth Observation Use-case(s), mission requirements, system-level architecture, product tree, CONOPS and end-to-end processing chains and mission orchestration concept;  

• breadboarding and de-risking of onboard processing chains, AI algorithms, representative datasets, mission-orchestration and inter-satellite-link functions;  

• development of the two-satellite space segment, ground segment, mission operations functions, processing chains and exploitation platform;  

• manufacturing, assembly, integration, verification, launch procurement and launch campaign;  

• LEOP, commissioning and in-orbit verification of the baseline Use-Case(s) demonstration(s);  

• preparation of community engagement and experiment-exploitation plans to maximise the use of the in-orbit laboratory and its scientific return.  

09:30 Welcome Coffee & Registration

Plenary: Welcome & Introduction

Convener: Claudio Iacopino (ESA)

Plenary: EOCognitiveLab Mission

Conveners: Nicola Melega (Esa), Gabriele Meoni (ESA), Adriana Perrino (ESA)

Plenary: Q&A

12:15 Lunch

B2B meetings: Part 1

14:15 Coffee break

B2B meetings: Part 2