A consortium of companies, led by Telespazio Germany, have initiated the “AI for Automation of Operations Preparation and Operational Simulation” (OPOS) project, a key component of ESA’s Artificial Intelligence for Automation (A²I) Roadmap.

This activity seeks to automate mission preparation and operational simulations, reducing the burden on flight control teams by eliminating repetitive manual tasks. The AI-powered systems will enhance fault detection, optimize resource management, and increase mission efficiency, allowing spacecraft operators to focus on high-level strategic tasks.

By integrating AI and automation, Telespazio Germany, in its leading role within the consortium, will optimize the most critical and frequently performed routine operations to maximize efficiency and impact. Currently, space operations depend on manual workflows, complex procedure updates, and labour-intensive validation processes. OPOS will address these challenges by automating routine tasks, helping detect regressions, enhancing preparation processes and hence streamlining ground operations. The consortium will ensure AI-driven automation is applied where it has the greatest impact in the preparation of missions.

To maximize effectiveness, the consortium is developing the solution in collaboration with ESA and EUMETSAT, aligning AI solutions with real-world operational needs. The OPOS project will be tested at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) and EUMETSAT, using the Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring (CO2M) mission as a demonstration platform.