Signal Processing

ATHENE 1 Successfully Launched into Orbit

October 1, 2026 marked a major milestone for the SeRANIS research program and the University of the Bundeswehr Munich: ATHENE 1 was successfully launched into Low Earth Orbit.
The satellite lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 20:32 CEST aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 as part of the Transporter-18 mission.
ATHENE 1 is the central mission of SeRANIS – Seamless Radio Access Networks for Internet of Space – initiated and led by Prof. Andreas Knopp, Head of the Chair of Signal Processing. Since 2020, more than 70 researchers from different disciplines have contributed to the program.
“For us, SeRANIS was more than a satellite mission from the very beginning. We wanted to establish a dedicated innovation pathway to test new key technologies under real conditions in space as early as possible. With the launch of ATHENE 1, this vision becomes reality. We could not have foreseen the developments in the security environment over recent years, but the mission’s flexible design has enabled us to incorporate new research questions,” says Prof. Knopp.
Following its successful deployment, contact with ATHENE 1 was established. The first data received indicate that the satellite is healthy and in good condition.
ATHENE 1 will serve as a multifunctional technology and experimentation platform for 22 scientific experiments. The mission will investigate new approaches in satellite communications and networking, navigation, sensing, artificial intelligence, onboard data processing, satellite structures and propulsion systems.
The satellite is now progressing through its initial operational and commissioning phases. Its scientific experiments will subsequently be activated step by step and tested under real orbital conditions.
The successful launch marks the transition from six years of research, development, integration and testing on Earth to a new scientific phase in space.
Learn more about ATHENE 1 and the SeRANIS mission here.
Read the official announcement from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich

September 2026 – PhD thesis defense by Daniel Weinzierl

September 22, 2026: Daniel Weinzierl successfully defended his doctoral dissertation, entitled “Blind Geolocation of RF Emitters in Distributed Satellite Formations,” and completed his doctoral studies with the distinction magna cum laude.
His dissertation advances novel methods for space-based spectrum monitoring and provides important foundations for future applications in this field. The research thus contributes to strengthening Germany’s technological capabilities and resilience in the space domain.
The examination committee consisted of Prof. Claus Hillermeier (Chair, UniBw M), Prof. Guido Dietl (University of Würzburg), and Prof. Andreas Knopp (Supervisor, UniBw M).
Congratulations to Dr. Weinzierl on earning his PhD. As the founder of ORBINT, a spin-off from UniBw M, he is now turning the results of his research into innovative real-world applications.

September 2026 – PhD thesis defense by Eriserdi Mollaymeri

September 18, 2026: Mr. Eriserdi Mollaymeri successfully defended his dissertation, titled “Synchronization and Channel Estimation Solutions for Distributed Ground Stations in Satellite MIMO Feeder Links,” and completed his doctoral studies with the distinction of Magna cum Laude.
His work provides new insights into solutions based on distributed ground stations for high-data-rate LEO megaconstellations.
Dr. Mollaymeri’s research examined the effects of synchronization errors between the ground stations and atmospheric phase variations on multi-antenna feeder-link transmission. He experimentally evaluated fiber-based time synchronization using the White Rabbit protocol and developed two complementary channel-estimation methods for tracking and compensating atmospheric phase perturbations. The results demonstrate that such distributed feeder-link systems can provide substantial capacity gains when appropriate synchronization and phase-compensation techniques are implemented.
The jury was composed of Prof. Georg Düsberg (Chair of the Examination Committee, UniBw M) and the examiners Prof. Volker Kühn (Uni Rostock) and Prof. Andreas Knopp (Supervisor, UniBw M).
Congratulations to Dr. Mollaymeri on earning his PhD. We wish him all the best for the future.