HOW DO YOU DESIGN FOR SPACE? TECHNICAL CONFIDENCE IS BUILT THROUGH EXTENSIVE TESTING

Miroslav Palko is far more than a desk-bound theorist. He has an extensive background in the automotive industry, where he designed racing gearboxes and contributed to the development of ultra-lightweight vehicle prototypes. Today, however, his work is reaching much further – all the way into space.

You are leading the development of a project called JARMIL. To begin with, could you explain what exactly lies behind the name?

The name JARMIL only emerged after about the seventh attempt. In essence, it refers to a system combining two pumps and a motor itself.

Designing anything for space means dealing with extremes – from intense cold to the heat generated by the engine. What is the biggest challenge in ensuring that the pump you’ve designed can withstand the vibrations of launch and then operate flawlessly in the harsh environment of space?

It’s not just the cold and freezing temperatures that need to be considered during these missions. From our work on various tooling projects for Airbus, we’re used to a significant administrative burden, but for space projects it’s another two levels beyond that.

That said, developing a functional prototype within projects run by the European Space Agency (ESA) is, in some respects, made easier because ESA guides you throughout the process. You’re never expected to come up with a complete, fully developed solution from the outset. ESA specifically requires you to proceed in small, incremental steps, with continuous oversight at every stage. By the time we reach the final product, a vast number of individual components and subsystems will already have been thoroughly tested, ensuring that nothing unexpected arises once the equipment has been launched into orbit.

Thanks to the simulations carried out by your colleagues at LENAM, you can see the results before the pump is actually manufactured. Is it possible to quantify how much time and how many prototypes this kind of “virtual testing” saves before you move on to final production for ESA?

It’s very difficult to express it as a percentage, but the benefits are substantial. Because we receive the initial simulation results from LENAM, we can verify our own calculations against them and refine the design accordingly. By the time the design reaches the Prototype and Innovation Centre at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Košice for manufacturing, only a validated design goes into production. Once the components have been manufactured, we can then carry out a final verification of the original design at AUREL. It’s a great example of the synergy between LENAM, the Prototype and Innovation Centre, and AUREL.

Development projects for ESA are governed by extremely strict requirements for documenting every detail. Is this rigorous level of control the main guarantee for your aerospace partners that the technology will perform reliably in space?

It’s true that the level of bureaucracy – if we can call it that – is considerable within ESA projects. On the other hand, I completely understand why. They simply cannot afford to send something into orbit that has been manufactured “somehow” and might work. So I fully appreciate the extensive documentation and administrative procedures involved. At the Prototype and Innovation Centre, however, we already have extensive experience with this way of working. We also operate under the AS9100 aerospace quality management certification, which enables us to manufacture components for the aviation industry. The requirements there are equally demanding – full material traceability, material certification, controlled manufacturing processes, and thorough inspection of final dimensions. It’s a natural progression that continues to raise our standards.

That said, documentation alone does not guarantee that a technology will work. What ESA truly relies on is a structured, step-by-step development process. When you’re developing a motor with two pumps, you never build and test everything at once. You start from the very beginning – first with one pump, taking it through every stage of development and testing, then you repeat the process with the second pump. Only once each individual component has been thoroughly tested and validated do you integrate them into a complete system. ESA is very strict about ensuring that you don’t move ahead too quickly or claim a higher Technology Readiness Level (TRL) before the required milestones have genuinely been achieved.

The AUREL Group is best known for its advanced engineering, vehicle safety testing, and crash testing. At first glance, that may seem a world away from space. So what do the lessons learned from critical road safety scenarios have in common with developing a rocket pump? 

At first glance, they really do seem like two completely different fields. In reality, though, it’s the equipment, the expertise, and the experience of the people involved that make all the difference. Whether you’re developing a driveshaft or carrying out strain gauge measurements on one, the work isn’t all that different from performing strain gauge measurements on a gear pump. You’re still dealing with gears, optimising micro-geometry, and measuring loads on bearings and the housing. The difference is that you’re working with a different medium, at entirely different temperatures, and with a different fluid – but the underlying principles remain the same. The laws of physics are the same everywhere.

You have a fascinating background yourself, having built racing gearboxes and developed ultra-lightweight vehicle prototypes. Has that hands-on experience of pushing engineering to its limits helped you with complex space projects such as JARMIL?

Every project that is successfully completed teaches you something new. As those projects accumulate over time, you’re able to build on that experience and apply it to new challenges. I believe we’ve now reached the point where we’re making full use of everything we’ve learned from our previous projects.

Košice is probably not the first city that comes to mind when people think of space development. How challenging is it to build this kind of ecosystem between a university and industry?

It certainly isn’t easy, but this was the vision behind the establishment of the Prototype and Innovation Centre from the very beginning. At the Prototype and Innovation Centre, we already work closely with students, which means they don’t have to wait until they graduate to gain practical experience. Instead, they have the opportunity to develop their skills while they’re still studying. They can choose whether they’re interested in CNC programming, design engineering, or metrology, because we have all of these disciplines under one roof. And it’s clear that they genuinely enjoy it. Being able to work on real projects that are already delivering tangible results for the Centre gives them invaluable hands-on experience.

In space, there’s no servicing, no second chance, and no hard shoulder to pull over on. As an engineer, how do you know when there’s nothing left to refine on a pump – when you can honestly say, “It’s ready. I’d stake my reputation on it”?

It’s all about the number of tests. After every test, the components have to be disassembled, examined in detail, and checked to see what condition they’re in. Today, many aspects can already be predicted thanks to the simulation tools available at LENAM. Technical confidence comes from the number of tests you’ve completed – the more issues you uncover and resolve during this phase, the fewer complications you’re likely to encounter once the system is in orbit. Of course, absolute certainty never exists, but today we have the tools to reduce the risk significantly.

You’ve built racing gearboxes, developed ultra-lightweight vehicle prototypes, and now you’re working on rocket pumps. What is it that keeps driving you towards the latest technologies and new discoveries?

I think it’s been part of me since I was a child. And because I used to fly, I feel a very close connection to this field. Motorsport is another passion of mine that I’ve been able to combine with my work. Aerospace has always fascinated me. Bringing together students, AUREL, and LENAM feels like a dream come true.

I hope your enthusiasm never fades. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much.