Descripción del proyecto
Reparación de satélites en el espacio
En la actualidad, no es posible reparar satélites mientras están en órbita. El equipo del proyecto EROSS IOD, financiado con fondos europeos, pretende cambiar esta situación investigando el uso de robots autónomos para el mantenimiento en órbita (OOS, por sus siglas en inglés). Tareas como el acoplamiento, el repostaje y la sustitución de componentes autónomos ayudarán a mantener y prolongar la vida útil de los satélites. En EROSS IOD se diseñarán las misiones y tecnologías necesarias para hacerlo realidad. Este proyecto se basa en los avances logrados por los anteriores proyectos EROSS y EROSS+ y allana el camino hacia el ensamblaje, la reparación y la gestión de residuos en el futuro ecosistema espacial.
Objetivo
Access to Space is now easier and easier, and is not possible anymore to design and launch disposable spacecraft without considering the consequences: On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) is a first step towards this change of paradigm, as the technologies, typically autonomous rendezvous, refuelling, Orbital Replaceable Unit (ORU) exchange, repair and waste management with autonomous robotic tools will be used in future smart, flexible and modular space infrastructures. The growing demand for satellite life extension from commercial customers, making OOS an emerging market, is an opportunity to support those developments.
To that purpose, designing in a phase B2/C the right mission and maturing the technologies to enable a go-to-market for future OOS missions is the main goal for €ROSS IOD. The objective is to enable the in-orbit demonstration of all the key capabilities: coordinated close rendezvous between two free flying spacecraft comparable in mass and inertia (a first in Europe) and autonomous robotic operations such as capture, refuelling and change of payload with a poly-articulated arm.
In order to ensure a sound and low-cost solution, the project leverages on the previous developments carried out for the last 6 years within the Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) on Space Robotics technologies, particularly in continuity of the past project EROSS and the current project EROSS+.
The final aim of the €ROSS IOD project is to prepare and carry out the last remaining steps to fly a European pioneering mission by 2026 with a customer-driven approach.
Thales Alenia Space, with GMV, DLR and 14 European technology providers (research centres, large, medium and small companies including one start-up), is following its plan to commercialise a multipurpose servicer for LEO and GEO servicing by 2026, and this project is a major stepping stone to provide the first go-to-market.
Ámbito científico
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringastronautical engineeringspacecraft
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringwaste management
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technology
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringroboticsautonomous robots
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinador
31100 Toulouse
Francia