The Norwegian space industry is small but at the forefront of global innovation and technological expertise. One such company is Jotne whose software and database solutions are used in the aerospace, defence, construction, manufacturing and other industries the world over.
Jotne´s work with CENSSS activities are on the subject of Standard Based Digital Twins. This is because space programs are managed by large companies facing considerable integration challenges, both in-house and externally. Product components are often made in different countries, and when new factories are built, other companies may be responsible for maintaining the product in question.
However, using Standard Based Digital Twins based on open and publicly available specifications makes it easier to trace products and sensor information, and to integrate these in a well-arranged manner. This improves data exchange, sharing and archiving processes, cutting both time and cost, yet improving quality.
Jotne invests in the most advanced research and development projects originating from the EU, the European Space Agency (ESA), leading aerospace customers, and CENSSS activities, supported by the Norwegian Research Council. Such projects bring innovation to Jotne, new products as well as an important networks for future growth.
Recently, Jotne sponsored a PhD student on the theme of Digital Twin, and recruits other talented graduates from leading universities. Here we present three such employees at the company and their journey to the Norwegian space industry.
Project manager and coordinator
-I work at Jotne´s Aerospace and Defence division in Oslo and coordinate Jotne’s activities in several research projects with partners in the space sector and other industries, says Henrik Galtung, project manager at Jotne.
One of the projects he is working on is Distributed Artificial Intelligence Systems (DAIS). Here, a large consortium of 47 partners from 11 different European countries are working together, with Jotne cooperating closely with two other Norwegian companies.
- The DAIS project aims to develop artificial intelligence for use in industry and manufacturing. Jotne´s contribution to the project is based on the company´s software, EDMtruePLM, used for product life cycle management and the development of digital twins, says Galtung.
Another of the projects he is working on is METRIC (Embedded Sensor Network In Spacecraft Structures Compatible With Digital Factories), where Jotne is partnered with the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), the Norwegian company IDEAS, as well as ESA.
-In METRIC we are researching how manufacturing, assembly, integration and testing can be done at reduced cost and improved quality by using a digital twin, Galtung says.
This project is based on IDEAS´ NORM (Norwegian Radiation Monitoring) mission, where a component for radiation detection for spacecraft was developed and manufactured.
-In the METRIC project we will manufacture the same components by creating a digital twin, by additive manufacturing to reduce the time and costs for the manufacturing process, and by CT scanning to increase quality control of the final result. The goal is to produce components for satellites and other spacecraft at a lower cost and with increased confidence in the quality assurance, says Galtung.
Built a small satellite at NTNU
Galtung received his Master´s degree in mechanical engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. For his Master´s thesis he joined the HYPSO project, a nanosatellite built by students and researchers at NTNU.
-I joined the project as a mechanical engineer and together with two other students modified the camera for use in space, had a camera prototype made, and analyzed and tested the camera, Galtung says.
He and the other two students also developed the architecture and the integration of the components on the satellite bus.
-It was an exciting project with a lot of responsibility and a real baptism of fire in space engineering, says Galtung.
The hard work and direct experience with space engineering paid off after Galtung graduated and started looking for a job in the Norwegian space industry. He joined Jotne in January 2021 after his Master´s thesis advisor notified him of the available position.
-Without the hands-on work in space engineering and seeing how a space project develops, I would have had much less useful experience with which to apply for work in the space industry, Galtung concludes.
Doing a doctoral degree with a company
Remi Lanza recently finished his doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from NTNU while working for Jotne.
-I contacted my Master´s thesis advisor because I wished to do a doctoral degree in simulation or software development. He told me Jotne was looking for a candidate so I contacted them, Lanza says.
He met with Jotne and then applied for the doctoral degree position at the company.
-For the thesis I researched how standards such as ISO 10303 can make sharing, storing, integrating and comparing data from different types of structural analyses and tests easier, in for example the aerospace industry, says Lanza.
He recommends applying for doctoral thesis work with companies who offer such positions, and as in his case, is supported by an industry PhD funding scheme.
-This way you are employed while you do your PhD, the research you do for the degree is relevant for the industry you are in and the company you are working for, and you get to meet and work with people who will be your colleagues after the degree is done, Lanza says.
A project for the European Space Agency
He is currently completing the DEFINE (Multidisciplinary 3D Digital models for AIT environment) project for Jotne and ESA.
-ESA puts their spacecraft through several different types of structural and thermal tests and simulations after integration, resulting in many different types of data in a multitude of formats which can make it difficult to organize and share, Lanza says.
For the DEFINE project he has worked on the development of a software application to compile and compare the data from the various tests for spacecraft at ESA.
-Even though my degree is in mechanical engineering, my work at Jotne mainly involves coding and software development of simulation and data management applications , Lanza says.
He and his colleagues in the DEFINE project will soon be doing the final presentation and demonstration of the completed software at ESA´s technical center ESTEC in the Netherlands.
Join a student space project or organization
Tord Hansen Kaasa at Jotne did his Master´s thesis work in the HYPSO project at NTNU, together with Henrik Galtung and a third student.
-We became fast friends due to shared interests, among them space exploration and space engineering, and wrote our Master´s thesis together, says Kaasa.
-Working on a nanosatellite was a lot of hard work and responsibility, but well worth it and resulted in a wealth of useful experience, Kaasa adds.
Today, he is working on Jotne´s METRIC project, with Galtung as one of his colleagues.
-In addition, I coordinate Jotne´s activities on DRYADS, an EU project for early detection, prevention and mitigation of wild fires, by using satellite, drone and other types of Earth observation technology.
DRYADS also develops health and growth monitoring solutions for public and private forests.
-If you´re interested in working in the space industry, joining a space project for students or one of the university organizations for space students, will give you direct insight into the sector and the type of jobs available, Kaasa concludes.
