Blackswan Space

Enabling Autonomous Space Missions

Blackswan Space provides advanced software and hardware solutions that enable satellite integrators and operators to achieve autonomy in space. The company specializes in autonomous navigation, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), and comprehensive mission design simulation for next-generation space missions.

Mission Design Simulator (MDS)

The Mission Design Simulator is a comprehensive virtual environment where users can prototype and test their entire space mission in real-time using one integrated software package. Key capabilities include:

• Real-time and faster-than-real-time simulation
• Orbital mechanics simulation
• RPO & Docking simulation
• Moving ground assets simulation
• Mega-constellation design
• Monte Carlo analysis
• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and Software-in-the-loop (SIL) simulation
• Synthetic visual data generation
• Matlab & Simulink integration
• External propagators including TUDelft's TUDAT
• Python API for custom workflows

RPO Kit

The RPO Kit is a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) plug-and-play spacecraft payload designed to autonomously perform complex navigation maneuvers. It leverages advanced vision-based target identification and tracking to enable:

• 6DoF pose estimation
• Real-time onboard processing at 10Hz+
• Modular hardware/software architecture
• High-precision docking accuracy: ≤4mm, ≤0.5°

Proven Technology and Partnerships

Blackswan Space has successfully completed multiple contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA), which acts as a key technical authority ensuring products are built for real space environments. The company partners with world-class institutions including the University of Luxembourg (SnT), University of Adelaide, and TU Delft to advance deep learning algorithms, vision-based navigation systems, and astrodynamics capabilities.

Who It's For

Blackswan Space serves satellite integrators, space mission operators, aerospace researchers, and organizations developing autonomous in-orbit capabilities. Whether designing mega-constellations, testing complex docking maneuvers, or implementing vision-based navigation systems, these tools provide the simulation fidelity and autonomous capabilities needed for modern space missions.