The ACoSim project related to the application of co-simulation to support test and operations was awarded to EMTECH Space P.C. consortium by ESA/ESTEC. EMTECH is the prime contractor and TWT GmbH, Thales Alenia Space Italia (TAS-I) and Aarhus University (Denmark) are sub-contractors. The purpose is to conduct research on co-simulation techniques to be used in the space domain for Verification & Validation (V&V) activities. The project started with a kick-off meeting on 29 January 2018.

Co-simulation approaches, already applied in other industries, such as the FMI standard, sparked interest within the space domain as a solution to face certain challenges. These challenges include, but are not limited to: data exchange, timing and synchronisation, communication/interfacing and tools coupling. In this effort, the early phases of the space systems’ development could not be ignored, as it is expected that in order to truly achieve co-simulation, the above challenges have to be taken into account while setting the requirements and performing the architectural design of the system models. Therefore, co-simulation in the space domain is an inevitable evolution of the existing space simulation facilities and the Model Based System Engineering (MBSE) approaches, imposed by the upcoming needs in aerospace simulation industry. 

Thus, the main target of the ACOSIM project is the definition of a new Verification & Validation methodology that will enable the use of co-simulation in the Space Simulation Facilities (FES, SVF, TOMS).

This is a great continuation of the co-simulation activities within the Aarhus University Centre for Digitalisation, Big Data and Data Analytics (DIGIT) that also coordinated and participated in the very successful HORIZON 2020 project called INTO-CPS that ended in 2017.