JANUS

JANUS (Joint Architecture for Novel, Universal satAPPs) develops the satAPPs component for the EU ISOS pilot mission, enabling Europe’s strategic capacity to Act in Space by 2030. It delivers a portfolio of modular, plug-and-play satellite applications (SynApps) aligned with ISOS Universal Service Interfaces (USIs) and AppStore principles, creating the foundation for a sustainable, circular and sovereign in-space economy. The JANUS SynApps portfolio comprises: CogniAPP, a cognitive HPC/edge computing satAPP that “uberises” space computing through dynamic workload placement across onboard and ground assets; ResiAPP, a resilient data exchange satAPP embedding zero-trust networking, graceful degradation, and quantum-resistant cryptography; OrchestrAPP-Core, an autonomy and task orchestration satAPP enabling policy-aware, explainable decision-making; and OrchestrAPP-HDI, a distributed hybrid cognitive infrastructure satAPP supporting cooperative cognition and scalable resource sharing. Together, they transform satellites into autonomous service nodes capable of re-use, reconfiguration, and multi-purpose operations, directly contributing to EU non-dependence, resilience, and competitiveness. JANUS advances each SynApp from TRL 3–4 to TRL 6 via iterative prototyping and validation in a hardware-in-the-loop ground demonstrator, integrating avionics, OBC/HPC, comms emulators, and USI interfaces. Demonstrator scenarios include maritime situational awareness, rapid EO response, and ISR—showcasing compression of the intelligence cycle from days to minutes and validating interoperability with the broader ISOS ecosystem. One or more SynApps will also be prepared for IOD/IOV via the HOST component, ensuring continuity towards deployment. The project is delivered by a consortium uniting expertise in EO services, HPC/OBC hardware, cybersecurity, autonomy, ISOS interfaces, and system integration.