Project description
In-space manufacturing and assembly
In-space services, manufacturing and assembly (ISMA) is the way to increase functionalities and capacities of space assets while reducing costs and increasing reliability. The EU-funded PERIOD project aims to prepare the paradigm shift for changing the way space systems are designed, built and operated, moving from mission-specific solutions to modular spacecraft optimised for the space environment. The ambitious demonstration will lead to the manufacturing of a functioning satellite in an 'orbital factory' accommodated on the ISS Bartolomeo platform by 2025. The manufacturing includes the fabrication of an antenna reflector, the assembly of satellite components and its reconfiguration in the factory. PERIOD will generate a preliminary design of the demonstrator including the orbital factory and mature technologies in robotics and autonomy.
Objective
Space robotics technologies are maturing bringing new capabilities for In-Space Manufacturing and Assembly (ISMA). These capabilities will generate on-orbit services improving the orbital infrastructure creating in turn a very promising business opportunity in terms of market volume. The establishment of a European capacity is necessary for building this new space infrastructure and to capture a fair part of this market that could be otherwise monopolized by US firms. The concrete objectives of the project are focusing on the main levers to generate the capabilities, which are the further maturation of the space robotics technologies and the definition of an in-orbit demonstration to be implemented as soon as 2025. ESROCOS, ERGO and InFuse will be developed to TRL5 after an alignment of their perimeter to the demonstration objectives. The Standard Interconnects, at TRL5 at project start, will be tested in a benchmark for evaluating their performance. These SRC building blocks will be integrated in a breadboard at Airbus DS for supporting the system definition work. The PERIOD Consortium bringing together the competencies of Airbus DS, DFKI, EASN-TIS, GMV, GMV-SKY, ISIS, SENER and SpaceApps is proposing a very ambitious demonstration scenario and Factory concept. A satellite will be manufactured in the Factory to be designed in the study at SRR level and injected in LEO for being operated. The manufacturing includes the fabrication of an antenna, the assembly of the satellite components and its reconfiguration in the Factory. The demonstrator is accommodated on the ISS Bartolomeo platform which will be upgraded to extend the level of capability validation from assembly and manufacturing of structures to refuelling experiments. Dissemination activities will maximize the impact of the project toward the Space Community. This demonstration covers the short and mid-to-long term ISMA business cases and will support the transition into the in-space manufacturing paradigm.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
82024 Taufkirchen
Germany