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SIAPS: Swiss Innovation for Astrophysics and Planetary Science
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Universal Postal Union, Bern
Universal Postal Union, Bern
Bern
Elena Benedetto
(NCCR PlanetS / UniGE)
Description
Swiss Innovation for Astrophysics and Planetary Science
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January 20-22, 2026, Bern
Drawing on Switzerland’s excellence in astrophysics and in engineering, the conference bridges science needs and technology solutions to shape the future of astronomical instrumentation.
The purpose of this conference is to:
- Align the Swiss technical expertise with the scientific needs of upcoming national and international programs:
- for ground and space telescopes and instrumentation
- for in-situ experiments and instrumentation
- Bring together the Swiss engineering partners – including from Universities, Universities of Applied Science, national Research Centers, and Industry (large enterprises and SMEs) - engaged or interested to support technology development for Big Science.
- Establish a national coordination platform to promote long-term planning and collaboration for the next-generation of instruments for ground and space missions.
This first event is promoted by the Technology and Innovation Platform of the NCCR PlanetS, as it marks a pivotal year for the Swiss exo-planetary science community: the conclusion of 12 years of outstanding activities of the NCCR and the creation of the Swiss Institute for Planetary Science.
While the starting point are the needs of exo-planetary research, the ambition is to broaden the scope and engage the entire astrophysics community and the engineering partners. This national event will strengthen the synergies between research and industry and advance the Swiss technical capabilities in ground and space telescope and instrumentation.
Program
The program is structured to match the "needs" of the research, i.e. challenges, future missions, with the “solutions” that industry and engineering research groups can bring – and have successfully provided in the past – in the development of scientific instrumentation or in providing cutting-edge technology for scientific applications.
Within the three days of the program, we will address (tentative topic distribution - adjustments can be made):
- Day1 : Big data handling & automation, Embedded software, High Performance Computing
- Day2 : Opto-mechanical systems, Vacuum / Cryogenics, Electronics, Robotics and automation
- Day3 : Photonics and Lasers, Sensing and Detectors
Scientific Organizing Committee
| E. Benedetto, UniGE / NCCR PlanetS | M. Hubner, SwissILO |
| F. Pepe, UniGE | F. Kehl, UZH/ETHZ |
| N. Thomas, UniBE | J-P. Kneib, EPFL |
| J. Bonnaud, Space eXchange | C. Lovis, UniGE |
| E. Bozzo, UniGE | R. Keller, Swissmem |
| E. Breschi, HES-SO | M. Rubin, UniBE |
| N. Buchschacher, UniGE | A. Pommerol, UniBE |
| A. Fortier, UniBE | V. Tamburello, UZH |
| A. Glauser, ETHZ | F. Wildi, UniGE |
Registration
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Participants
180
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09:20
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10:00
Registration & Coffee 40m
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10:00
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10:20
Welcome address 20mSpeaker: Francesco Pepe (University of Geneva)
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10:20
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12:00
Big-data handling, embedded software: Project/mission "needs"Convener: Nicolas Buchschacher (University of Geneva)
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10:20
Euclid data challenges 25mSpeaker: Stéphane Paltani (University of Geneva)
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10:45
SKA-CH data challenges 25mSpeaker: André Csillaghy (FHNW)
- 11:10
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11:35
ESO "complex" data handling 25m online
online
Speaker: Michael Sterzick (ESO)
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10:20
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12:00
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13:30
Lunch 1h 30m
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13:30
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14:54
Big-data handling, embedded software: "solutions"Convener: Valentina Tamburello (University of Zurich)
- 13:30
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13:42
CHEOPS Ground Segment 12mSpeaker: Adrien Deline (University of Geneva)
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13:54
DACE web platform for the NCCR PlanetS data sharing and analysis 12mSpeaker: Nicolas Buchschacher (University of Geneva)
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14:06
Scalable Data Management for Planetary Science 12mSpeaker: Daniel Ribeiro (GeoDataSolution)
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14:18
AI & HPC in Astronomy: Software For Ground, Space, and Beyond 12mSpeaker: Laszlo Etesi (Ateleris)
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14:30
AI on modern HPC platforms 12mSpeaker: Tomasz Kacprzak (FHNW)
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14:42
Optimising observational campaigns through AI 12mSpeaker: Sara Marques (University of Bern)
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14:54
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15:30
coffee + posters 36m
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15:30
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16:42
Big-data handling, embedded software: "solutions"Convener: Nicolas Buchschacher (University of Geneva)
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15:30
EULER observation software 12mSpeaker: Mathurin Chritin (University of Geneva)
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15:42
SW Framework for highly efficient on-board data and AI processing 12mSpeaker: Klaus Buchheim (Klepsydra)
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15:54
Moonshot - How to deliver high-quality flight software on time 12mSpeaker: Jakob Wanner (Source Engineers GmbH)
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16:06
Spacetek’s Modular Instrument-Controller System for Space Exploration 12mSpeaker: Juerg Jost (Spacetek)
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16:18
Optical downlink for data could change the way of architecting science missions 12mSpeaker: Elisabetta Rugi Grond (Thales Alenia Space -CH)
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16:30
Multi-band radio-astronomy receiver: Optical high speed data acquisition 12mSpeaker: Alberto Dassatti (REDS - HES-SO)
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15:30
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18:15
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21:30
.: Welcome Apero dinatoire
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09:20
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10:00
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09:00
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10:30
Opto-mechanics, precision mechanisms, vacuum & cryo: Project/mission "needs" - GroundConvener: Francesco Pepe (University of Geneva)
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09:00
ANDES, Ristretto and the road to the PCS 20mSpeaker: Nicolas Blind (University of Geneva)
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10:00
ESO Instrumentation: technology challenges and opportunities for industry 30m online
online
Speaker: Michele Cirasuolo (ESO)
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09:00
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10:30
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11:00
coffee + posters 30m
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11:00
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12:20
Opto-mechanics, precision mechanisms, vacuum & cryo: Project/mission "needs" - SpaceConvener: Andrea Fortier (University of Bern)
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11:00
ESA, opportunities for Swiss industry 20mSpeaker: Deborah Mueller (Space eXchange Switzerland)
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11:20
Space Hardware development at the Departement of Astrophysics UniGE 20mSpeaker: Enrico Bozzo
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11:40
ARRAKIHS: Exploring the low surface brightness Universe 20mSpeaker: Rebekka Coles-Bieri
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12:00
ESA L4 Mission to Enceladus: Technology Development Challenges 20mSpeaker: Sven Wittig (ESA)
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11:00
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12:20
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13:40
lunch 1h 20m
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13:40
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15:16
Opto-mechanics, precision mechanisms, vacuum & cryo: "solutions"
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13:40
SwissILO - Swiss industry presence at conferences in relation with ESO and SKA 12mSpeaker: Michel Hubner
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13:52
Extreme Adaptive Optics for Exoplanetary Science: First Light of an Unmodulated Three-Sided Pyramid Wavefront Sensor 12mSpeaker: Muskan Shinde (University of Geneva)
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14:04
The Programmable Liquid-crystal Active Coronagraphic Imager for the 4-m DAG telescope (PLACID) instrument: A joint UBE and HEIG-VD success story 12mSpeaker: Jonas Kuhn (University of Bern)
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14:16
DD4AO: On-Sky Performance of a Novel Data-Driven AO Control Strategy 12mSpeaker: Isaac Dinis (University of Geneva)
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14:28
Configurable Slit Unit for the MIRMOS (Multi-Object Spectrometer for Infra-Red Exploration) instrument 12mSpeaker: Peter Spanoudakis (CSEM SA)
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14:40
Robotic optical fiber positioner modules 12mSpeakers: Malak Galal (EPFL), Maxime Rombach (EPFL)
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14:52
A robotic mirrors positioner for the MOSAIC instrument 12mSpeaker: Maxime Rombach (EPFL)
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15:04
High-precision manufacturing for ground and space applications 12mSpeaker: Thomas Liebrich (RhySearch)
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13:40
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15:16
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15:26
Group Photo 10m
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15:26
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15:45
coffee + posters 19m
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15:45
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17:21
Opto-mechanics, precision mechanisms, vacuum & cryo: "solutions"Convener: François Wildi (University of Geneva)
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15:45
Opto-mechanical solutions for telescope and optical benches 12mSpeaker: Antonio Casciello (Thales Alenia Space -CH)
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15:57
Motorized Mounts for the Folding Mirrors of the VLT's BlueMUSE Instrument 12mSpeaker: Gloria Bai He Mellinand (EPFL Astrobots)
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16:09
Space Rotating Mechanism for the CXBe Mission 12mSpeaker: Hancheng Li (University of Geneva)
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16:21
3D-printed Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) for space applications 12mSpeaker: Gabriele Paciotti (HES-SO)
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16:33
An overview of the Nulling Interferometer Cryogenic Experiment (NICE) 12mSpeaker: Jonah Hansen (ETHZ)
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16:45
Detector unit for astronomical applications at UNIGE 12mSpeaker: Ludovic Genolet (University of Geneva)
- 16:57
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17:09
Vibration-free gas bearing turbo compressors and expanders for cryogenic applications 12mSpeaker: Patrik Fröhlich (Celeroton AG)
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15:45
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18:30
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22:00
.: Informal Cocktail - sponsored by Spacetek Technology AG , at Grosse Schanze: https://www.grosseschanze.ch/
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09:00
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10:30
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09:00
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10:15
Sensing and detectors, Photonics: Project/mission "needs"Convener: Florian Kehl (ETHZ)
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09:00
ESO detector technologies 25m online
online
Speaker: Naidu Bezawada (ESO) -
09:25
ESA Clocks, detectors, and optical communications for Space Science Missions 25mSpeaker: Sinda Mejri (ESA)
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09:50
ESA Photonics for Space Science Missions 25m online
online
Speaker: Iain Mckenzie (ESA)
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09:00
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10:15
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10:45
coffee + posters 30m
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10:45
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12:00
Sensing and detectors, Photonics: Project/mission "needs"Convener: Florian Kehl (ETHZ)
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10:45
LISA sensing and detectors 25mSpeakers: Domenico Giardini, Luigi Ferraioli (ETHZ)
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11:10
LIFE mission overview and technology development needs 25mSpeakers: Judy Lai-Norling (ETHZ), Jonah Hansen (ETHZ)
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11:35
Possible remote sensing instruments for the next decades 25mSpeaker: Nicolas Thomas
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10:45
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12:00
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13:30
Lunch 1h 30m
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13:30
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14:42
Sensing and detectors, Photonics: "solutions"Convener: Martin Rubin
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13:30
THz Time Domain Spectroscopy for In-Situ Space Exploration 12mSpeaker: Linus Stöckli (University of Bern)
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13:42
Spacetek’s Detector High Speed Digitizer System for Space Exploration 12mSpeaker: Konstantin Luchinkov (Spacetek Technology AG)
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13:54
Advancements in Optical Readout Technologies: Test Mass Sensing and Laser-Frequency Stabilization Techniques for Optical Compact Interferometry 12mSpeaker: Victor Huarcaya (University of Bern)
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14:06
Laser controller electronics, optical amplifiers, optical fibers solutions for data / signal transmissions 12mSpeaker: Stefan Schulze Walewski
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14:18
Industrial Optical Atomic Clock for Science 12mSpeaker: Fabien Droz (Rolex Quantum SA)
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14:30
High repetition rate laser frequency combs for calibration of VIS and NIR spectrographs. 12mSpeaker: Ewelina Obrzud (CSEM SA)
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13:30
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14:42
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15:10
coffee + posters 28m
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15:10
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16:10
Sensing and detectors, Photonics: "solutions"Convener: Evelina Breschi (HES-SO)
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15:10
Superconducting nanowire detector development towards astronomy applications 12mSpeaker: Boris Korzh (University of Geneva)
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15:22
Nano to pico degree resolution optical astronomy: in quantum physics we trust ! 12mSpeaker: Roland Walter (University of Geneva)
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15:34
Glass micro-components for photonic and opto-mechanical systems 12mSpeaker: Rolando Ferrini (FEMTOprint SA)
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15:46
Integrated InGaAs/InP Waveguides for Low-Loss Astrophotonics between 4-18 μm 12mSpeaker: David Eglin (ETHZ)
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15:58
Quantum Mini-Magnetometer qmM 12mSpeaker: Joseph Moerschell (HES-SO Valais-Wallis)
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15:10
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16:15
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16:40
Concluding remarks 25mSpeakers: Nicolas Thomas (University of Bern), Juerg Jost (Spacetek), Samuel Leveque (ESO), Stephane Paltani (University of Geneva)
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09:00
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10:15
