The Institute of Space Systems (IRS) congratulates Jun.-Prof. Dr. Artem Smirnov, head of the Physics of the Upper Atmosphere Working Group on his recent election as Vice-Chair of the COSPAR Panel on Machine Learning and Data Science (PMLDS) for the 2026–2030 term!
The election was held at the 46th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR 2026) in Florence, Italy, where he further joined the COSPAR/URSI International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) Model Working Group.
COSPAR is one of the central international organizations for scientific cooperation in space research, established in 1958 by the International Science Council. It brings together researchers from different areas of space science and provides a forum for exchanging scientific results and developing international collaborations.
The Panel on Machine Learning and Data Science (PMLDS) was established in 2024 in response to the rapidly growing role of machine learning, artificial intelligence and modern data-science methods in space research. The panel connects scientists and ML/data-science experts from across COSPAR's different disciplines, providing a common platform for exchanging methods, tools and results.
The International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) is a long-standing joint project of COSPAR and the International Union of Radio Science (URSI), initiated in the late 1960s. The IRI Working Group develops and continuously improves the internationally recognized empirical reference model of the Earth's ionosphere using observations from a wide range of ground- and space-based measurements.
With these two appointments, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Smirnov will contribute to international activities in both machine learning and data science in space research and the continued development of ionospheric reference models.
Aerospace research at the University of Stuttgart
Aerospace studies in Stuttgart form a unique interdisciplinary think tank for key technologies in space and on Earth. Researchers at the University of Stuttgart bring together expertise from the fields of climate and energy research, communications technology, propulsion technology, and AI-assisted flight. A central focus is the exploration of sustainable technological solutions aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of aerospace. Research is conducted in an interdisciplinary manner and in close collaboration with regional and international partners from academia and industry, for example within the framework of the Collaborative Research Centers ATLAS (SFB 1667) and SynTrac (SFB-TRR 364). As a partner of THE Aerospace LÄND, the University of Stuttgart contributes to the implementation of Baden-Württemberg’s state strategy to shape aerospace in a sustainable, digital, and collaborative manner by 2050. The University offers its students a solid engineering and application-oriented education. In promoting young talent, it cooperates with the “Future Initiative for Young Talent in Aerospace,” an initiative of the state of Baden-Württemberg dedicated to strengthening the promotion of young talent in STEM fields.