Human-Centered Control Systems for the Next Generation of Modular Satellites

The STEPHANIK project is a national initiative aimed at accelerating the growth of Slovakia's space industry and research. It brings together industry, academia, and international partners to focus on the research and development of modular satellite technologies. The project's long-term vision is to prepare the Slovak space ecosystem for active participation in European programs and to establish Slovakia as a valuable partner within the European Space Agency (ESA).

The global space economy is expanding at twice the rate of the overall economy and has become essential for various industries, including transportation, energy, agriculture, banking, and environmental protection. To establish Slovakia's position in this rapidly evolving field, it is crucial to develop the industry's competencies. Modular, cost-effective, and quick-to-deploy satellite solutions are one possible way.
Whether it will be need to solve urgent operational needs, address any shortages or failures of existing satellites, ensuring the rapid deployment of satellites into orbit might be the key element of success.

As part of the STEPHANIK consortium, we lead the design and development of a human-machine interface system for the Ground Station Control System (GSCS) and Mission Control System (MCS). Our task is to create intuitive, user-centric interfaces and robust software solutions that make the complex world of satellite control accessible, reliable, and efficient.

Key elements of our work include:

• User-Centered Design – Developing and validating prototypes with user groups to ensure interfaces are simple, goal-oriented, and effective.
• System Architecture – Defining modular and scalable software structures that enable smooth integration of future components.
• Communication Interfaces – Data transfer between satellites and ground stations is a critical part of the mission; interface design, as well as scalable implementation, are key to the success.
• Software Development & Testing – Building MCS components following space engineering best practices, with rigorous unit and integration testing to guarantee reliability.

The outcome will be a powerful control system, designed to handle complex satellite operations with minimal overhead. With this, we contribute to building a future-proof Slovak space ecosystem and strengthening Europe’s capacity for responsive space missions.