CORE BUSINESS
SPARC Industries has two core business areas. Number one is de-risking EP development at all TRL levels, related research activities, EP product commercialization, and satellite design iteration. We achieve this by
- reducing the number of experimental test campaigns common in our customers’ business.
- reducing the learning curve of the technology by providing details that no experimental test generates.
- reducing the overall time for test preparation, conduction, and interpretation.
- reducing the overall cost for material, operation, and personnel.
- reducing the risk associated with the material supply chain including material availability in terms of time, quality, amount, and price.
- reducing the risk associated with test facility availability in terms of price, test slot availability and reliability, and diagnostics.
- reducing the risk associated with long term personnel availability.
- reducing effort / success relation of R&D proposal preparation and the research funding acquisition in general – also for public research entities.
- increasing the clients’ competitivity by enabling EP developers to enrich their products’ plume data to strengthen their product offers to their clients.
This is implemented with the support of our self-developed ESA-supervised plasma simulation software VSTRAP which fulfils space industry requirements as well as ESA requirements. The confidence in the simulation results is enhanced by respective reporting allowing a much easier interpretation of the results. This not only enhances associated research proposal success chances but adds significantly to the client’s competitivity if VSTRAP generated results backed by written credibility proof is added to the client’s offer made to the satellite manufacturers.
We also develop technologies to protect high value space assets from undesired identification. This we achieve with a combination of sophisticated software as well as dedicated EP technology.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Products:
Our ESA-rated plasma simulation software VSTRAP is designed for industrial use. The product requirements are derived from intense discussions with EU and US space industry members (propulsion developers and satellite manufacturers mainly), plasma simulation experts, and ESA. It not only has general gas and plasma simulation capabilities, but also pre-configured propulsion designs, e.g., for Hall Effect Thrusters and Gridded Ion Optics. This allows being productive already on day one. The product delivers data in formats that are readable by satellite manufacturers’ tools for satellite contamination and charging (SYSTEMA, OpenPlumeEP, SPIS). Additional design templates and functionalities can be provided upon request.
Services:
Engineering support with a broad spectrum of elements, e.g., consultancy, simulation services, participation in consortia-based projects (ESA, Horizon Europe, etc.) etc., including creation and licencing of IP.
MAIN CUSTOMERS
- Developers of electric satellite thrusters across the value chain and size.
- Satellite manufacturers who use EP technology on their satellites.
- Universities with interest in EP related research and education.
