Portuguese startup Neuraspace has launched a new AI-powered autonomous defense platform aimed at bolstering Europe’s ability to monitor and protect its space assets. As orbital congestion and geopolitical tensions increase the risk of satellite collisions and hostile interference, Neuraspace’s solution integrates artificial intelligence with sensor fusion to deliver real-time space situational awareness (SSA) and threat response capabilities for both commercial and governmental operators.
AI-Driven Autonomy for Orbital Threat Detection
The centerpiece of Neuraspace’s offering is a software platform that leverages machine learning algorithms to autonomously detect potential satellite collisions, identify anomalous behavior such as uncooperative maneuvers or cyber interference, and recommend or execute mitigation actions. The system ingests multi-source data — including radar tracking feeds, optical observations from ground-based telescopes, telemetry data from satellites, and open-source intelligence — to build a dynamic picture of the orbital environment.
According to Neuraspace CEO Chiara Manfletti (former Head of Strategy at ESA), the platform marks a shift from reactive collision avoidance toward proactive space defense. “We are moving beyond simple conjunction alerts,” she stated during the launch announcement. “This platform enables automated threat classification and response in near-real-time.”
The system is designed to operate under a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model but can also be integrated into sovereign C2 frameworks for national space operations centers. It supports LEO-to-GEO coverage and is compatible with NATO-standard TLE formats and STK-based simulation environments.
European Strategic Context: From SSA to Active Protection
Europe’s growing reliance on space-based infrastructure — including Galileo GNSS satellites, Copernicus Earth observation platforms, secure military communications systems like Syracuse IV (France), GovSat-1 (Luxembourg), or Spain’s Spainsat NG — underscores the need for robust SSA capabilities. However, most current systems focus on passive monitoring rather than active defense or autonomous decision-making.
The EU’s Space Situational Awareness Programme (EU SST), coordinated by EUSST consortium members such as CNES (France), DLR (Germany), INTA (Spain), and ASI (Italy), provides basic collision warnings but lacks full autonomy or integrated threat analysis. Neuraspace’s platform aims to fill this gap by offering predictive analytics coupled with automated maneuver recommendations or even direct tasking via satellite control interfaces.
This aligns with recent EU strategic priorities outlined in the 2023 EU Space Strategy for Security & Defence — which calls for enhanced resilience of critical space infrastructure against both natural hazards (e.g., debris) and intentional threats like jamming/spoofing or kinetic anti-satellite weapons.
Debris Mitigation Meets Dual-Use Defense Potential
While marketed primarily as a commercial SSA tool targeting satellite operators in LEO constellations — such as Earth observation firms or telecom providers — Neuraspace’s system has clear dual-use implications. Its ability to detect proximity operations by foreign spacecraft or anomalous orbital maneuvers could support counterspace intelligence missions.
The company claims its AI models can classify over 95% of conjunction events within minutes of detection using probabilistic risk scoring based on object size, velocity vector convergence, historical behavior patterns, and maneuverability profiles. This could prove vital in contested environments where adversaries employ co-orbital tactics or deploy inspector satellites under false civilian cover.
- Collision Avoidance: Automated generation of delta-v recommendations based on mission constraints
- Anomaly Detection: Identification of GNSS spoofing patterns affecting onboard navigation
- Spectrum Monitoring: Integration with RF sensors to detect jamming attempts
- Maneuver Prediction: Forecasting adversary satellite paths using historical trajectory ML models
Technical Architecture: Sensor Fusion Meets Edge Analytics
The platform employs a modular architecture that fuses data across multiple domains:
- Kinetic Domain: Orbital elements from radar/optical tracking networks including EUSST sensors & commercial providers like LeoLabs
- Cognitive Domain: Pattern-of-life analysis using ML-driven behavioral baselines per object ID
- Spectrum Domain: RF anomaly detection via integration with SatGuard-type payloads or ground-based spectrum monitors
- User Interface: Web dashboard with API access; supports integration into national C4ISR frameworks via RESTful endpoints
A key innovation is the use of edge computing nodes deployed at ground stations that pre-process sensor data before uplink to cloud analytics engines hosted in secure European datacenters. This reduces latency in threat detection cycles while ensuring compliance with GDPR/data sovereignty rules critical for government clients.
Pilot Programs and Industry Partnerships Underway
Neuraspace has already begun pilot deployments with several European satellite operators under non-disclosed agreements. The firm is also collaborating with ESA Business Incubation Centre Portugal and has received funding under the EU Horizon Europe program focused on dual-use innovation.
A notable partner is GMV Aerospace & Defence — a major Spanish integrator involved in Galileo ground segment development — which may support integration into existing mission planning tools used by EU SST members. Additionally, discussions are ongoing with NATO-affiliated research bodies regarding potential adaptation for allied military use cases under ACT-led experimentation frameworks.
Toward Autonomous Orbit Defense Capabilities?
The launch of this platform represents an early step toward what some analysts term “autonomous orbit defense” — where AI agents continuously monitor orbital activity across all domains (kinetic/cyber/spectrum) and initiate protective actions without human-in-the-loop delays. While legal frameworks around such autonomy remain unsettled under international space law norms like OST/ITU regulations, technical momentum is building rapidly.
If adopted widely across Europe’s fragmented SSA ecosystem — currently split between civil agencies like ESA/EUMETSAT and national MoDs — platforms like Neuraspace’s could form the backbone of a future federated European Space Command architecture capable of joint situational awareness across civilian-military lines.
