EXTREMA FINAL WORKSHOP

Agenda

Day 1 – 10 November

12:00-13:00 - Registration, light lunch
13:00-13:45 - Introduction, project overview
13:45-14:30 - Pillar 1: Overview, methods
14:30-15:15 - Pillars 2 & 3: Overview, methods
15:15-15:45 - Networking, coffee break
15:45-16:15 - ESH: Overview, architecture
16:15-17:00 - ESH: Implementation
17:00-18:00 - Visit to the DART Lab

Day 2 – 11 November

8:30-9:00 - Registration, coffee
9:00-9:45 - Sample HIL simulation start
9:45-10:30 - Dry runs campaign
10:30-11:00 - Coffee break, networking
11:00-11:45 - Sample HIL simulation analysis
11:45-12:30 - Project results, impact
12:30-13:30 - Light lunch, networking
13:30-14:30 - Roundtable, conclusions

About EXTREMA

The ERC-funded EXTREMA project - Engineering Extremely Rare Events in Astrodynamics for Deep-Space Missions in Autonomy - is a groundbreaking initiative that reimagines interplanetary exploration. EXTREMA introduces self-driving spacecraft: space probes able to drive themselves, without requiring any contact with ground. At its core, EXTREMA is built on three ambitious pillars: autonomous navigation, autonomous guidance and control, and autonomous ballistic capture. These pillars aim to eliminate reliance on ground control by enabling spacecraft to determine their own position using onboard sensors, compute optimal trajectories in real time, and exploit rare gravitational phenomena to enter planetary orbits without propulsion. Central to this vision is the EXTREMA Simulation Hub (ESH), a state-of-the-art facility that integrates hardware modules like RETINA (for optical navigation), ETHILE (for thrust emulation), STASIS (for attitude dynamics), and the FlatSat (for onboard computing), all synchronized by the SPESI orbital propagator. This setup enables rigorous hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, where the modules interact with simulated space environments to validate autonomy under realistic conditions. EXTREMA lays the foundation for scalable, low-cost deep-space missions that can operate independently, making planetary exploration more accessible and resilient. By proving that small, intelligent probes can navigate the solar system without human intervention, EXTREMA reshapes the future of spaceflight.

Scopes of the workshop

The workshop stands as an essential gathering for the community, offering a rare and invaluable window into the methodologies and transformative outcomes of the five-year EXTREMA project. Designed to foster meaningful engagement, it invites stakeholders to experience firsthand the pioneering advances in autonomous space exploration.
The noon-to-noon workshop will be held in person; no remote attendance is foreseen.

Please ckick here to register.

Registration closes on 31 October 2025.

05.09.2025