The HERMESS project was created to address a critical challenge: ensuring secure, efficient and resilient communications in emergency environments where terrestrial infrastructure is non-existent, limited or degraded.

Although digital trunking currently provides certain communication capabilities in security-related scenarios, its dependence on infrastructure, such as antennas and repeaters, limits its use in remote areas or disaster situations.

In response to this challenge, HERMESS proposes a hybrid solution combining:

• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites
• HAPS pseudo-satellites (stratospheric balloons)

This combination aims to ensure continuous coverage, low latency and reliable communications, even under extreme conditions.

General project objective

To develop and implement a redundant, secure and resilient communications system for emergency environments, integrating existing terrestrial infrastructure with LEO satellite technologies and HAPS pseudo-satellites, while ensuring coverage and quality of service in critical situations.

Specific project objectives

• Design a walkie-talkie-type ground device capable of connecting to both traditional networks and satellite and pseudo-satellite systems in half-duplex mode.
• Analyse and optimise the payload capacity, autonomy and coverage of stratospheric balloons (HAPS) to create localised communication “bubbles”.
• Investigate voice transmission using LoRa technology via LEO satellites, including speech-to-text and text-to-speech processes powered by artificial intelligence.
• Validate the system through testing in controlled environments using Low Earth Orbit satellites and stratospheric platforms.

Main project achievements

• Development of a hybrid communications system capable of operating without terrestrial infrastructure.
• Increase in technology readiness from TRL 3 to TRL 6 through proof-of-concept demonstrations.
• Innovations in:
  
  • Satellite-based IoT communications (LEO flight segment)
  • Improved autonomy, navigation and stability of stratospheric balloons
  • Intelligent voice processing (Speech-to-Text and Text-to-Speech) optimised for LoRa
• Creation of a complete emergency communications ecosystem covering the entire value chain.
• Strengthening the position of the Spanish space sector in the field of emergency communications through globally competitive solutions.

Duration

July 2024 – December 2026

National project in collaboration with: