09:01, 27 February 2026

Moscow’s Higher School of Economics and IIT Bombay to Launch Joint Labs in Space Research and Nanoelectronics

The two universities will establish mirror laboratories focused on satellite data and superconducting spintronics.

HSE University and the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay have agreed to create parallel “mirror” laboratories in space research and nanoelectronics. The memorandum of intent was signed during an HSE delegation visit to India.

The first lab will focus on satellite data processing and the management of small spacecraft. One of its research tracks involves building digital twins. Such models make it possible to predict satellite performance in orbit, analyze telemetry, and test operating modes without directly intervening in onboard systems.

“Today, the volume of data coming from small satellites is growing exponentially, and working effectively with this stream requires new approaches. IIT Bombay has accumulated significant experience operating student-built satellites and receiving telemetry. Researchers at HSE, in turn, are developing software for automated telemetry reception, processing, and analysis, as well as digital twin methods that model spacecraft behavior in orbit based on real data,” said Dmitry Abrameshin, head of the Laboratory for Functional Safety of Spacecraft at MIEM HSE.

The lab plans to use a hardware–software complex for telemetry reception and analysis in both manual and automated modes. The initiative includes an academic exchange program. Indian students will be able to work in Moscow and St. Petersburg with software tools and small satellite prototypes, while Russian students will gain access to IIT Bombay’s infrastructure.

Superconducting Spintronics and Energy Efficiency

The second laboratory will focus on superconducting spintronics, a branch of nanoelectronics aimed at creating ultra-fast, energy-efficient electronic components. The technologies could be applied in data centers and server infrastructure.

“The physical principles underlying spintronics and superconducting electronics help address the challenge of high energy consumption. IIT Bombay has strong experimental facilities – they fabricate such structures and conduct measurements. HSE researchers will develop the theoretical framework within the joint project. Our research group has been working on this topic for years and has developed tools to model phenomena in structures at the intersection of spintronics and superconducting electronics, known as superconducting spintronics. At the same time, we do not intend to limit ourselves to theory. We have measurement capabilities under conditions that are not available to our Indian colleagues. Preliminary agreements have therefore been reached to conduct joint experimental work,” said Natalia Pugach, a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Quantum Nanoelectronics at MIEM HSE.

HSE currently maintains around 20 agreements with Indian universities in digital economy, artificial intelligence, sustainable development, and space technologies.

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