Preparation and demonstration of autonomous OOS robot operations in orbit

EROSS IOD

Credit:
PR

The main objective of EROSS IOD is to work on phases B2/C for a demonstration mission to prepare the market entry for future OOS missions. All essential functions will be demonstrated in orbit: Approach and rendezvous of two free-flying spacecraft with comparable mass and inertia and robotic operations performed autonomously by a service robot, such as capture, refuelling and payload exchange.

To ensure a robust and cost-effective solution, the project builds on previous developments carried out over the last six years as part of the Strategic Research Cluster (SRC) for Space Robotics Technologies, in particular the EROSS and EROSS+ projects.

The ultimate goal of EROSS IOD is to prepare and execute the final steps necessary to fly a pioneering European mission based on a customer-centred approach by 2026

Runtime:
2023-01-01 until 2025-03-31
Project partners:
  • Thales Alenia Space France
  • DLR, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
  • GMV
  • PIAP Space
  • SINTEF
  • Thales Alenia Space Italy
  • SENER
  • Space Application Services
  • TIPIK Communication Agency
  • Exotrail
  • Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace
  • Network Research Belgium
  • Thales Alenia Space Spain
  • GMVIS Skysoft
  • Thales Alenia Space Switzerland
  • Almatech
  • CSEM
Website:
Funding:

Horizon Europe, Funding No 101082464

Fields of application:
  • On-orbit servicing: refueling, repairing, maintenance
  • On-orbit assembly
The CAESAR robotic arm grabs a satellite in motion.
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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 EROSS+.

The final aim of the EROSS 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.

 Project Details

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 EROSS 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 EROSS 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.