The Story behind ASTRAEUS

In 2021, a group of international students united under the name DIANA as part of the Space Station Design Workshop (SSDW) organized by the Institute of Space Systems at the University of Stuttgart. This unique challenge tasked two teams with designing a space station for a 15-year mission within just one week.

Mentored by experts from leading space companies, including ASTOS, TESAT, and Airbus Defence and Space, and supported by professionals in cost and risk management from PRICE Systems, our team emerged victorious, laying the groundwork for our future initiatives.

Driven by a commitment to innovation, DIANA dedicated the subsequent two years to refining our vision for the DIANA Lunar Infrastructure. We successfully published research at prestigious international conferences, including ICES 22 (International Conference on Environmental Systems) and IAC 22 and IAC 23. In collaboration with the Institute for Photovoltaics (ipv) and the Institute for Space Systems (IRS) at the University of Stuttgart, we introduced a pioneering concept for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and energy infrastructure, presented at DLRK 2023. This infrastructure is designed to support the International Planetary Sunshade (IPSS), proposed by Mr. Maheswaran and Mr. Fix, and will be powered by a perovskite solar park, a novel solar cell technology developed by ipv and PEROSOL.

Our mission encompasses the development of sustainable space solutions across satellites, rovers, and lunar infrastructure, focusing on the innovative use of lunar resources through ISRU. We aim not only for technological advancement but also to promote environmental sustainability in space.

After three years of passionate research and collaboration, we have taken the next step and officially become ASTRAEUS. This transformation represents our commitment to fostering a vibrant community of space enthusiasts, researchers, and experts, and to continuing our mission of advancing sustainable space initiatives.