I3DS · Project

Modular Plug-and-Play 3D Sensor Kit for Autonomous Space Robots and Satellites

transportTestedTRL 5

i3ds-h2020.eu

Imagine building a spacecraft is like assembling LEGO — you pick the sensors you need, snap them together, and the robot can see and navigate on its own without waiting for instructions from Earth. That's what I3DS built: a modular kit of 3D cameras, distance sensors, and lighting that plug into any space robot or satellite. The kit handles all the heavy data crunching on board, so the spacecraft can dodge debris, dock with another satellite, or land on a planet autonomously. Three working demo systems were built and tested in the lab, then shipped to Thales Alenia Space factories in Italy and France.

By the numbers

demonstrator systems built and tested at system level

consortium partners

countries in consortium

industry partners (64% industry ratio)

total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Spacecraft and space robots today need custom-designed sensor systems for every mission, making autonomous navigation expensive and slow to develop. Each new mission — whether a lander, a debris-catcher, or a servicing vehicle — requires re-engineering the sensor suite from scratch. This drives up costs, extends timelines, and limits how quickly Europe can deploy autonomous space missions.

The solution

What was built

A modular plug-and-play 3D sensor platform with interchangeable building blocks, dedicated pre-processing boards for on-board data filtering and compression, and centralized communication nodes. Three complete demonstrator systems were built, tested at system level, and shipped to Thales Alenia Space facilities in Italy and France.

Audience

Who needs this

Satellite prime contractors building autonomous exploration or servicing missionsIn-orbit servicing and debris removal companies (e.g., ClearSpace, Astroscale)Space robotics companies developing landers or roversDefence contractors needing autonomous navigation for unmanned platformsDrone and autonomous vehicle companies operating in GPS-denied environments

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Space satellite manufacturing

enterprise

Target: Satellite platform integrators and prime contractors building exploration or servicing missions

If you are a satellite manufacturer planning post-2020 autonomous missions — this project developed a modular 3D sensor suite with interchangeable building blocks that simplifies integration. Instead of custom-engineering sensor systems for each mission, you pick from tested modules that share standardized electrical and mechanical interfaces. Three demonstrators were built and shipped to Thales Alenia Space sites for system-level testing.

In-orbit servicing and debris removal

mid-size

Target: Companies developing commercial debris removal or satellite life-extension services

If you are an in-orbit servicing company that needs your spacecraft to approach, identify, and capture non-cooperative targets like dead satellites or debris — this project built sensor modules specifically designed for that scenario. The I3DS platform handles proximity navigation autonomously using on-board pre-processing, removing the dependency on ground-based control during critical approach maneuvers.

Autonomous robotics and drones

any

Target: Robotics companies building autonomous platforms for harsh or remote environments

If you are a robotics company building autonomous vehicles for environments where GPS and remote control are unavailable — the I3DS modular architecture offers a transferable design pattern. The system integrates multiple 3D sensor types with on-board data filtering, compression, and correction through dedicated processing boards, enabling real-time autonomous navigation without external communication links.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adapt this sensor suite for our missions?

The project data does not include pricing or licensing fee information. The coordinator is Thales Alenia Space France, a major space industry prime contractor. Commercial terms would need to be negotiated directly with the consortium partners who developed specific sensor modules.

Can this scale to production volumes for a constellation or multi-mission program?

The system was designed for modularity and reconfigurability across a vast range of missions — from interplanetary to debris removal to rover operations. Three demonstrators were built and tested at system level, then shipped to Thales Alenia Space integration facilities in Italy and France, suggesting the design is ready for mission-specific engineering and production scaling.

Who owns the IP and how is it licensed?

With 11 partners across 8 countries including 7 industry players, IP ownership is likely distributed across the consortium. Thales Alenia Space France coordinated the project. Specific licensing arrangements for individual sensor modules or the integrated platform would need to be clarified with the relevant consortium partners.

How mature is this technology — is it flight-ready?

Three demonstrators were tested at system level in laboratory conditions and shipped to Thales Alenia Space facilities. This places the technology around TRL 5-6 (validated in relevant environment). The project explicitly targets post-2020 missions, meaning additional flight qualification steps would be needed before deployment.

How does this integrate with existing satellite platforms and avionics?

I3DS was specifically designed to push vision sensors into future satellite platform standard GNC (guidance, navigation, control) units. It centralizes data flux through dedicated communication nodes and simplifies mechanical interfaces through integrated modules, making it compatible with standard spacecraft bus architectures.

What types of missions does this cover?

Based on the project objective, I3DS targets interplanetary missions, formation flying, non-cooperative target capture (debris removal), cooperative rendezvous and servicing, space tugs, landers, and rovers. The modular design allows easy reconfiguration for each mission type.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a strong industry-driven consortium with 7 out of 11 partners from industry (64%), led by Thales Alenia Space France — one of Europe's largest satellite manufacturers. The consortium spans 8 countries (Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, UK) with 3 research organizations and 1 university providing the scientific backbone. The presence of 2 SMEs adds specialized niche expertise. For a business buyer, the fact that a major prime contractor coordinated this project and received the demonstrators at their own facilities signals serious intent to move this technology toward operational missions, not just academic research.

THALES ALENIA SPACE FRANCE SASCoordinator · FR
COSINE RESEARCH BVparticipant · NL
STIFTELSEN SINTEFparticipant · NO
HERTZ SYSTEMS LTD SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIAparticipant · PL
THALES ALENIA SPACE UK LTDparticipant · UK
THALES ALENIA SPACE ITALIA SPAparticipant · IT
SINTEF ASparticipant · NO
SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ - PRZEMYSLOWY INSTYTUT AUTOMATYKI I POMIAROW PIAPparticipant · PL
TERMA ASparticipant · DK
THALES ALENIA SPACE ESPANA SAparticipant · ES
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Thales Alenia Space France SAS — reach out through their space exploration or GNC division

Order a report on this consortium See THALES ALENIA SPACE FRANCE SAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the I3DS consortium? SciTransfer can connect you with the right technical contact for your mission requirements.

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