An invention developed by a team from the Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation (Łukasiewicz – ILOT) has won Second Prize in the Eureka! DGP – Discovering Polish Inventions competition. The award-winning solution, titled “Engine Controller for Nanosatellites Using Hydrogen Peroxide as a Propellant,” was developed by a team led by M.Sc. Eng. Michał Piwowarczyk.
The inventors are: Michał Piwowarczyk, Mateusz Rusak, Konrad Wojciechowski, Hubert Graczyk, Karol Bresler, Michał Welcer, Maciej Filipowicz, Przemysław Sitnik, and Radosław Łaziński.
The award-winning invention is already operating in orbit and has achieved flight heritage status. The controller developed by the team is currently used aboard the PIAST satellite constellation, which supports the development of satellite capabilities for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland. This means that the solution has been validated not only under laboratory conditions but also through successful operation in a real orbital environment.
This recognition reflects the expertise developed within the Avionics Department of Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation in the fields of avionics, satellite systems, space electronics, simulation, control systems, and onboard software. The technology combines space-qualified electronics with advanced propulsion management algorithms, enabling satellites to perform orbital maneuvers safely and reliably in the demanding space environment.
This achievement confirms Łukasiewicz – ILOT’s capability to carry out the entire space avionics development cycle—from research and design, through system integration and testing, to deployment in an operational space mission. It also demonstrates the Institute’s key competencies supporting its ongoing space projects, including the development of the SPARK satellites, as well as future initiatives aimed at strengthening Poland’s national satellite capabilities.
More information about the award-winning solution is available in the Dziennik Gazeta Prawna article:
https://www.gazetaprawna.pl/wiadomosci/kraj/artykuly/11251004,sterownik-do-nanosatelitow.html
We also invite you to listen to an interview with Michał Piwowarczyk, who discusses the origins of the technology, its applications, and the experience of deploying the solution in a real space mission:
https://youtu.be/08s6OwwbeYQ?si=af6tK-rpNVkyJfb9
