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Russian scientists to create a 'digital twin' of Aist satellite

In the future, the twin can be adapted to work with other spacecraft

September 30. /TASS/. Scientists from Samara National Research University named are preparing to present the first Russian digital twin of the power supply system for the small satellite "Aist", which will reduce the number of abnormal situations on board, reported the press service of the university.

"Samara National Research University began he development of a digital twin of the power supply system for small spacecraft 'Aist'. The software complex should reduce the number of abnormal situations on board, and thereby increase the lifespan of satellites", the statement reads. 

The author of the project is a postgraduate student of the General Designer D.I. Kozlov Department of Space Engineering Maxim Ivanushkin. He analyzed data on the operation of satellites of this type and came to the conclusion that most of the abnormal situations on board arise due to failures of the power supply system. The creation of a digital twin of the satellite system in the form of a program that recreates an analogue of a physical object in virtual space will make it more reliable by simulating a variety of situations on board both in real time and in forecast mode, he explained.

"The digital twin should take into account, as much as possible, all the features of its original. For example, take into account the degradation of storage batteries and solar batteries, as well as the cut-off situation and its effect on the energy balance and the abilities of the rest of the spacecraft's equipment," the university's press service quoted Ivanushkin as saying.

It is expected that this digital twin will be included in the software of the ground control complex for small spacecraft of the university and will be used in the operation of the Aist series satellites. In the future, the twin can be adapted to work with other spacecraft and be used not only in universities, but also at enterprises developing onboard equipment, as well as on the basis of space companies, the author believes.

The project to create a digital twin won the competition of the UMNIK program and received financial support from the Innovation Promotion Fund.

About the satellite

"Aist" is a small spacecraft, which was created in 2006 by students of Samara National Research University in cooperation with the Progress Space Rocket Center. The satellites of the first series, used in orbit since 2013, are designed to solve educational and scientific problems, for example, measuring the Earth's magnetic field and testing the apparatus systems, testing promising types of solar batteries in space. A representative of the second generation of satellites ("Aist-2D") was launched into orbit in 2016 for remote sensing of the Earth.

At present, the Progress Center is developing a complex of two Aist-2T satellites for stereoscopic imaging of the Earth's surface based on Aist-2 platform.