Signal Processing

Prof. Dr. Andreas Knopp Receives Hermann Oberth Medal

May 30, 2026. Prof. Dr. Andreas Knopp has been awarded the Hermann Oberth Medal by the International Spaceflight Association (IFR).
The Hermann Oberth Medal honors outstanding scientific and experimental contributions to space engineering. Founded in 1969, the IFR has promoted space activities and fostered exchange between science, industry, and society for decades, continuing the legacy of space pioneers Hermann Oberth and Wernher von Braun.
The award recognizes contributions to a new, agile approach to space research, pursued among others through the SeRANIS project. This approach combines rapid technology development and early in-orbit demonstration with a strong focus on technology transfer and practical implementation.
A particular emphasis lies on transferring emerging space technologies into industrial applications and building an innovation-driven ecosystem, including an active startup and technology-transfer culture.
The work focuses especially on dual-use technologies in satellite communications and space-based sensing and reconnaissance, particularly at the interface between mobile and satellite communications.
The award highlights a research approach that closely connects scientific excellence, industrial implementation, and technological sovereignty.

PhD thesis defense by Stephan Winter

April 14, 2026: Mr. Stephan Winter completed his doctoral studies, earning his PhD with the prestigious distinction of summa cum laude. His dissertation, titled "Channel Model for Terrestrial Fixed Service Interference to Aeronautical Satellite Receivers" represents an important contribution to the field of of satellite communications and spectrum management, particularly in understanding and mitigating interference between terrestrial and aeronautical systems.
Dr. Winter’s research examined how terrestrial point-to-point links interfere with in-flight satellite communications terminals in a spectrum governed by regulatory constraints. It developed a novel, scalable stochastic interference channel model that captures both statistical distributions and temporal dynamics. The outcome is a regulation-compliant model that enhances the resilience of in-flight connectivity systems and provides a solid basis for mitigating interference.
The jury was composed of Prof. Stefan Lindenmeier (Chair of the Examination Committee, UniBw M) and the examiners Prof. Vijitha Weerackody (Johns Hopkins University), Prof. Andreas Knopp (UniBw M) and apl. Prof. Christian Hofmann (Supervisor, UniBw M).
We wish Dr. Winter all the best for his future career!

PhD thesis defense by Manuel Roth

March 26, 2026: Mr. Manuel Roth completed his doctoral studies, earning his PhD with the prestigious distinction of summa cum laude. His dissertation, titled "Enhancing Routing in Satellite Constellations with Software-Defined Networking and Reinforcement Learning," contributes valuable insights into the field of satellite communication, particularly in next-generation autonomous satellite networks and integrated 6G architectures.
Dr. Roth’s research focused on innovative routing protocols and AI-based traffic engineering tailored to satellite constellations. By combining distributed Software-Defined Networking with Deep Reinforcement Learning, his approaches enhance throughput while maintaining quality of service requirements.
The jury was composed of Prof. Carmen Mas Machuca (Chair of the Examination Committee, UniBw M) and the examiners Prof. Giovanni Giambene (University of Siena) and Prof. Andreas Knopp (Supervisor, UniBw M).
We wish Dr. Roth all the best for his future career!