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Objectives
Smart Interference-Resilient Intelligent Unified SatCom (SIRIUS) responds to the ESA Call “AI-Enhanced Adaptive Antenna Array for SatCom Terminals for Automatic Interference Detection and Mitigation”. Its primary objectives are to develop an AI engine capable of identifying the direction of arrival of interfering signals and to implement an AI algorithm that dynamically reconfigures the antenna array to mitigate interference while maintaining connectivity. An antenna array demonstrator integrating these new functions will be designed, manufactured, and tested, with the goal of achieving improved signal quality and higher security by reducing interference by 30 dB and enabling real-time interference mitigation with a 50% reduction in computation time compared to existing solutions.
Nine specific objectives, aligned with the nine work packages and ITT requirements, are pursued. Interference scenarios are defined (O1, WP1000), mission, RF, and system requirements are consolidated (O2, WP1000/WP2000), and a baseline architecture is selected (O3, WP2000). The phased array is designed and characterised (O4, WP3000), AI-based detection and classification algorithms are developed (O5, WP4000), and the mitigation engine is designed and validated (O6, WP5000). End-to-end integration and demonstration are performed (O7, WP6000/WP7000), compliance and performance are verified (O8, WP2000), and a maturity assessment and roadmap are delivered (O9, WP8000).
Benefits
SIRIUS is considered as a technical building block for future SatCom terminals, as it expects to offer a step-change in signal resiliency and computational performance compared to conventional adaptive beamforming systems. Its starting TRL is 3/4 and its final is TRL 5. Future product advantages are expected to include:
• Superior Interference Suppression: Significant interference reduction, improving signal quality, link budget resilience, and security in congested or contested spectrums.
• Lower Computational Overhead: Cuts processing time extensively compared to existing state-of-the-art solutions, enabling real-time threat response with minimal latency and power consumption.
• Uninterrupted Operational Connectivity: Dynamically reconfigures array beam patterns to nullify interference on-the-fly without dropping active user communication links.
• Modular Future Proofing: Delivers an adaptable, AI-driven building block easily integrable into next-generation dual-use SatCom terminal architectures.
Features
SIRIUS is designed as a TRL 5 technical building block for seamless integration into future smart SatCom terminal architectures. Its core capabilities and hardware & software components include:
• AI Direction-of-Arrival (DoA) & Classification Engine: An intelligent algorithm module that automatically detects, classifies, and determines the precise spatial origin of interfering signals in real time.
• Dynamic AI Mitigation Engine: Software block that dynamically recalculates antenna array weights to place precise spatial nulls in the direction of interference while preserving active user communications.
• Reconfigurable Phased Array Hardware Demonstrator: A physical antenna subsystem engineered, manufactured, and characterised to demonstrate dynamic beamforming and RF suppression capabilities.
• Modular Integration Interface: Flexible subsystem design enabling SIRIUS to function as an adaptable, scalable building block within full next-generation dual-use terminal products.
• Integrated Validation Framework: End-to-end hardware-in-the-loop testbed validating the building block’s performance and TRL 5 maturity across representative operational interference scenarios.
Challenges
The SIRIUS project faces the primary challenge of designing and developing an AI-assisted, interference-resilient satellite communications system. To this end, key challenges include selecting the optimal antenna array configuration (fully analog, fully digital, or hybrid beamforming) to maximise efficiency and adaptability, as well as developing efficient AI algorithms that can accurately estimate both desired signals and interfering sources while dynamically adjusting beamforming patterns. Additionally, the project requires rigorous performance evaluation across diverse operational scenarios, including those with multiple interfering sources.
System Architecture
The system consists of three primary architectural components: a) The antenna array configuration, b) The AI-driven interference detection and classification module, as well as c) The interference mitigation engine. All these components act synergically to mitigate interference from unwanted sources by appropriately adjusting the antenna radiation diagram. At the initial phase of the project, the most appropriate antenna array configuration will be selected taking into consideration both hardware complexity as well as beamforming flexibility (i.e., analog, fully digital or hybrid beamforming). The AI model shall be trained using supervised learning on beamspace-derived features, including per-beam power distributions, time-frequency representations and compact covariance descriptors computed over short temporal windows. At a later stage, the interference mitigation engine will be responsible for properly managing the derived antenna radiation diagrams to suppress interference. During architectural design, particular emphasis will be placed on the requirements defined in the ITT, including wide field-of-view beam steering with reduced grading lobes, high interference suppression levels (>30 dB) operation under multiple simultaneous interferers and fast reaction times.
Plan
SIRIUS is a 24-month project that is structured into nine work packages and five phases: exploration (WP1000), systems engineering (WP2000), development (WP3000 for the phased array, WP4000 interference detection & classification, WP5000 interference mitigation respectively), integration & testing (WP6000, 7000), and technology assessment (WP8000).
Four milestones mark progress: Baseline Selection (T0+5), Test Readiness (T0+13), Detailed Design (T0+17), and Final Review (T0+24). Integration & testing occurs in two cycles: one for the preliminary design and one for the detailed design, culminating in the final Antenna Demonstrator. Project management (WP0000) and systems engineering (WP2000) run continuously for oversight.
Current Status
SIRIUS started on 1 September 2026, and is in the exploration phase. The focus is on identifying the reference scenario and the high-level definition and description of the selected systems, including high-level benefits. This is performed considering several scenarios and an updated SotA. In parallel, the technical requirements for the deliverables are defined, together with a technical baseline and detailed plans for the implementation, testing and compliance with technical specifications of the deliverables. The outputs are the “Critical Review of SotA and Scenario Definitions” and the “Scenario System Requirements”, which shall fulfil the System Requirements Review (SRR, T0+3).
