Advanced space technologies for robotics and automation

ASTRA'98, the fifth European Space Agency (ESA) workshop on advanced space technologies for robotics and automation, will be held in Noordwijk, The Netherlands, from 1 to 3 December 1998. The aim of the workshop is to provide an overview of technologies which are available or are being developed in the ESA member states, or which should be included in future ESA-managed research and development activities.

The workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to obtain up-to-date information on space missions and application scenarios where automation and robotics could play a major role. In addition, the technology needs in automation and robotics and the current status of European R&D in the field of space automation will also be addressed.

A special effort will be made during the workshop to cover programmatics and user aspects of space automation and robotics. The following areas will also be covered in detail during the workshop:

- Automation and robot system technologies;
- Robotic support equipment technologies;
- Robotic ground segment technologies;
- Manipulation subsystem technologies;
- End effector and sensor instrumentation technologies;
- Robot control technologies;
- Robot-friendly payload technology and design methodology;
- Technologies for space laboratory automation.
For further information, please contact:

ESA/ESTEC Conference Bureau
PO Box 299
2200 AG Noordwijk
The Netherlands
Tel. +31-71-5655005; Fax +31-71-5655658
E-mail: confburo@estec.esa.nl