The Optical Communications and Photonics MakerSpace (esa10474) is an ESA-funded activity implemented by Libre Space Foundation. It rallies makers, hackerspaces, academia, and small companies to build open-source hardware and software for optical satellite communications, low-cost ground-based tracking, and dark-sky / photonics instrumentation.
What LSF does
LSF is prime contractor: issues sub-activity Statements of Work via an agile, GitLab-public methodology; scouts implementers; manages contracts, reviews, and publishing of reports, code, and hardware. Mirrors the SDR MakerSpace approach — open GitLab planning, open-source licensing, low-cost COTS-based experiments serving as an ESA TRL scouting vehicle.
Where we’re going
Deliver reusable open-source optical-comms building blocks (SiPM receivers, mount controllers, dark-sky sensors, pypogs upgrades) feeding ESA optical programmes (ScyLight / HydRON, OGS, DSOC-adjacent testbeds) and seeding follow-on activities such as HolOGS.
Where the project stands
Active, in close-out phase — close-out framework drafted November 2025, with a final high-priority sub-activity still to commission.
Sub-activities
- Photon-counting SiPM detector (COTS-Detector) — completed, CommonsLab
- Aristarchos Telescope upgrade — completed (NASA DSOC / Psyche relevant)
- Dark Sky Quality Sensors and Network — completed, SC Robotics
- Mount controller for satellite tracking — completed, tested on ISS, SC Robotics
- Low-cost optical orbit determination based on stvid — running, SatNOGS Optical / Cees Bassa
- Pypogs Update — running, SC Robotics; bridges into HolOGS
- Support of Holomondas experimental OGS platform — running, AUTh
Milestones
- 2021-11 — contract 4000137590 signed
- 2022 — first sub-activity kickoffs (COTS-Detector, Aristarchos, Dark Sky)
- 2023 — Aristarchos, COTS-SiPM, Dark Sky final reports delivered
- 2024 — Mount Controller completed; pypogs and stvid sub-activities ongoing
- 2025-11 — close-out framework drafted; final sub-activity reserved