The Ground Systems Engineering and Innovation Department is responsible for all the ground systems engineering and support activities required to support mission operations and implement innovation. The department maintains and manages a full level of competences, technologies and services in all engineering disciplines related to ground systems, infrastructure, technology evolution and engineering R&T and innovation. The department provides expert support in these areas to the Directorate of Operations for all current and potential missions and leads, in the role of architect, ground systems evolution and innovation implementation in the infrastructure. Furthermore, responsible for the overall technical standardisation coordination for the ground segment, in particular in the Management Council of the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS).

The department is relying on the following domains of expertise:

• Ground Station Engineering;
• Flight Dynamics and Mission Analysis;
• Mission Operations Data Systems Engineering;
• Navigation Support;
• Multi-Mission Infrastructure – Ground Segment Integration and Testing.

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

1) Topic 1: Development of Vizualisation Software: For precise orbit determination of satellites, the Navigation Support Office uses raw data from different sources such as from Global Navigation Satellite Systems, Satellite Laser Ranging and Very Large Baseline Interferometry. The data processing can either be carried out in real-time or non real-time. To analyse the raw data as well as the processed data for validity, it has to be visualised. This allows to understand the obtained results and the data processing itself in a much better way.

2)Topic 2: Artificial Intelligence for Precise Navigation: To fulfil the high-quality demands on its precise navigation products, the Navigation Support Office carefully monitors all incoming data with the goal to detect specific events, which might be related to the transmitting spacecraft, the signal path through the atmosphere, the measurement or the data product generation. To provide the highest possible product accuracy, significant effort is spent on the modelling of satellite orbits, signal biases, environmental disturbances and of satellite, transmitter, station, antenna and receiver characteristics. Such modelling is based on a sound physical understanding and expert knowledge.

Required Qualifications 

You must be a university student, preferably in your final or second-to-last year of a university course at Master’s level and you need to remain enrolled at your University for the entire duration of the internship.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

Depending on the selected topic, knowledge of Satellite Navigation, Artificial Intelligence technologies and Software Engineering is an asset.