ATLAS_CRC_1667

What ATLAS_CRC_1667 does

ATLAS CRC 1667 (SFB 1667 ATLAS, DFG Project-ID 516238647) is a Collaborative Research Centre funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and hosted at the University of Stuttgart. Its mission is the systematic scientific investigation of Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellite operations in the 200–450 km altitude regime, an environment characterized by significant atmospheric drag, atomic oxygen erosion, and plasma interactions that conventional low-Earth-orbit platforms are not designed to address. The consortium organizes its work into 17 scientific sub-projects across three project areas and engages 23 project leaders drawn from 12 institutes and 5 faculties of the University of Stuttgart together with the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

The technical stack centers on the in-house PICLas DSMC (Direct Simulation Monte Carlo) code for rarefied gas flow, the Adaptive Body-Explicit Plasma (ABEP) methodology for plasma modeling, aerodynamic attitude and orbit control techniques for VLEO platforms, atomic oxygen diagnostic instrumentation, and machine-learning-based gas-surface scattering kernels that accelerate simulation. Hardware assets include a dedicated satellite ground station at the University of Stuttgart and laboratory facilities for plasma and materials testing, supporting an integrated simulation-to-experiment workflow.

The entity operates under a non-commercial public-research business model. Core funding flows through the DFG SFB mechanism (SFB 1667/1), supplemented by in-kind contributions from participating institutes and DLR. External engagement is pursued via international MoUs (notably with Korea Aerospace University), collaborations with Ruhr University Bochum and Catalonia-based universities, ESA-BIC Baden-Württemberg affiliation, the recurring International VLEO Symposium, the 'Industry Meets SFB ATLAS' industry-transfer event, and the Satellite Design Workshop training series. Customer segments are therefore scientific and policy stakeholders (DFG, BMBF, ESA, DLR) rather than commercial end-users, and the consortium's 'revenue' is grant-driven rather than sales-driven.

Name

ATLAS_CRC_1667

Legal name

Collaborative Research Centre 1667 ATLAS (Sonderforschungsbereich 1667 ATLAS)

Website

https://sfb1667.uni-stuttgart.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ATLAS CRC 1667 is a DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre at the University of Stuttgart developing Very Low Earth Orbit (200–450 km) satellite technologies through 17 sub-projects led by 23 principal investigators across 12 institutes, with simulation, plasma, and atomic-oxygen diagnostics capabilities for academic and aerospace stakeholders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerospace Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Space Research and Technology (92711)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Spacecraft Integration, Assembly & Test (IAT) (IMABACAK), International Science, Technology & Space Cooperation Organizations (BPADAAAK)

Keywords

• VLEO satellite research
• Atmospheric breathing propulsion
• Collaborative research center
• Aerospace research programs
• Satellite mission design

Headquarters

HQ city

Stuttgart

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: Funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - Project-ID 516238647 - SFB 1667/1. Additional co-funding from Ministry for Economy, Labour and Tourism of Baden-Württemberg for specific events and activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ATLAS_CRC_1667 is a Collaborative Research Centre that conducts fundamental and applied research into enabling sustainable Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO, 200-450 km) satellite operations. The center organizes 17 sub-projects across three project areas, delivering research outputs such as proprietary simulation software (PICLas DSMC), atmospheric breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) concepts, plasma thrusters, aerodynamic control algorithms, gas-surface interaction diagnostics, and machine-learning models for satellite-aerothermodynamics. It also operates industry and academic engagement programs including the International VLEO Symposium and the Satellite Design Workshop.

Product overview

ATLAS (Collaborative Research Center 1667) is a research consortium at the University of Stuttgart focused on advancing technologies for Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellites. The research is organized into three main project areas: Project Area A (Gas-Surface Interactions) covering fundamental understanding of rarefied high-energy flows and functional surfaces; Project Area B (VLEO-Enabling Subsystems) covering technologies like atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion, porous structures for atomic oxygen capture, thermal radiation for drag compensation, perovskite solar cells, and integrated quantum technologies; and Project Area C (Mission-Related Challenges) covering satellite operations, laser-based positioning, high-data-rate communication, distributed computing platforms, navigation, and gravity field measurement. The consortium also operates supporting projects for public relations, data management, and central coordination. Key activities include the annual Satellite Design Workshop for students, the VLEO Symposium series, publications in scientific journals, and the ATLAS Newsletter.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Satellite Design Workshop (SDW): An annual international competition for university students to conduct design studies for science-focused VLEO satellite missions.

Products and services

• ATLAS Collaborative Research Program (SFB 1667) DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre program comprising 17 scientific sub-projects across three project areas that advance the fundamental research and applied subsystems needed for sustainable Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) satellite operations. Delivered to academic researchers, space agencies, and industry partners via joint research, publications, and shared infrastructure.
• International VLEO Symposium A recurring international scientific symposium on Very Low Earth Orbit technology, providing a structured forum for researchers, space agencies, and industry to present and discuss advances in VLEO satellite science, subsystems, and mission concepts.
• Satellite Design Workshop A hands-on student workshop program hosted at the University of Stuttgart that engages students in satellite mission and subsystem design, complementing the research agenda of CRC 1667 ATLAS.

Quantifiable outcome

• Research targeting 10x increase in satellite operational lifetime in VLEO without large fuel resupply requirements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry for Economy, Labour and Tourism of Baden-WürttembergcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 January 2027Co-host of the 3rd International Symposium on VLEO Missions and Technologies, providing governmental support for VLEO research and industry development.
• Ruhr University BochumminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2026Academic collaboration with Prof. Jean-Pierre van Helden and Dr. Ibrahim Sadiek on plasma spectroscopy techniques, with relevance for VLEO flow environment diagnostics.
• ESA-BIC Baden-Württemberg (IHK Reutlingen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Cooperation partner for Industry Meets SFB ATLAS event, supporting technology transfer between research and space industry in Baden-Württemberg.
• Forum Luft- und Raumfahrt Baden-Württemberg (LR BW) & The Aerospace LÄNDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Regional aerospace forum and initiative partner for Industry Meets SFB ATLAS events, promoting VLEO opportunities for the Baden-Württemberg region.
• Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Dr. Silvia Rodriguez-Donaire visited to share insights on VLEO economics and ABEP commercialization, exploring collaboration potentials for VLEO market development.
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya / BarcelonaTechminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Dr. Daniel Garcia-Almiñana collaborated with ATLAS team on VLEO market development and research into VLEO economics.
• Korea Aerospace University (KAU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Memorandum of Understanding signed for new research cooperation between Korea Aerospace University and CRC 1667 ATLAS.
• DLR Institute of Technical PhysicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDLR provides project leadership for projects C02 (laser-based positioning) and participation in the Scientific Advisory Board, integrating external research capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• European Space Agency (ESA): Pan-European space agency funding and conducting VLEO-relevant mission studies and technology development. Direct funder/partner ecosystem for CRC ATLAS outputs and a broader incumbent in space R&D.
• Airbus Defence and Space: Major European satellite prime contractor with capabilities across satellite platforms and a potential industrial adopter/competitor for VLEO technologies developed by CRC ATLAS.
• NASA: U.S. federal agency with extensive VLEO and atmospheric-breathing propulsion research programs across NASA Langley, Goddard, and Ames. A broad incumbent in the same research domain with substantially larger resources and flight-test infrastructure.

Emerging players

• ThrustMe: French startup specializing in electric propulsion (gridded ion, Hall-effect, plasma) for small satellites. Comparable to CRC ATLAS's atmospheric-breathing electric propulsion research thrust and a likely commercial translation pathway for ABEP technologies.
• Morpheus Space: Emerging small-satellite electric propulsion company developing ion and Hall-effect thrusters. A direct emerging competitor in the small-satellite propulsion niche that aligns with CRC ATLAS's ABEP research focus.
• Aliena Pte Ltd: Singapore-based startup developing very low Earth orbit satellite buses with Hall-effect and air-breathing electric propulsion. A direct emerging commercial peer pursuing VLEO platforms that CRC ATLAS's ABEP research could enable.

Direct peers

• California Institute of Technology (Caltech) / JPL: Caltech/JPL conducts fundamental space propulsion and rarefied gas dynamics research highly comparable to CRC ATLAS's Project Areas A and B. Both operate as academic/research-driven environments producing peer-reviewed fundamental advances relevant to VLEO operations.
• Surrey Space Centre (University of Surrey): Academic satellite research center with deep expertise in small satellite platforms, atmospheric/space-environment research, and propulsion. Highly comparable to CRC ATLAS in operating model (university-based, multi-project, publication-driven) and adjacent in research themes.
• German Aerospace Center (DLR): DLR is Germany's national aerospace research center and an active partner of CRC ATLAS (DLR Institute of Technical Physics leads project C02). Both conduct fundamental space and VLEO-related research, and DLR's involvement makes it the closest institutional peer in scope, mission, and geographic focus.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Space Propulsion Lab: MIT's Space Propulsion Laboratory conducts fundamental electric propulsion and plasma research with academic operating model analogous to CRC ATLAS. Comparable in research themes (plasma physics, advanced propulsion) and academic diffusion pathway.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlas-crc-1667
• Instagraminstagram.com/atlas_crc1667

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ATLAS_CRC_1667