ROBOTIC PROGRAMMES AND APPLICATIONS AT ESA: PRESENT AND PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the existing ESA robotics programmes, their perspectives and the possibility for ESA and its European partners to make an adequate, yet significant contribution to international space robotics endeavours. A systematic overview will be given of the application scenarios in Low Earth Orbit (system servicing and payload tending on the ISS, assembly of large structures), in other Earth Orbits (satellite monitoring and servicing), and for planetary exploration (Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, comets, asteroids). Wherever detailed presentations on these scenarios are included in the iSAIRAS programme, reference will be made to them. The paper will also refer to the strengths of the Research and Development (R&D) base in Europe, derived from significant national and ESA programs and a judicious cross-fertilisation with R&D in non-space domains. 1 CURRENT MISSION SCENARIOS ESA’s missions containing elements of Automation and Robotics (A&R) are (structured in the classical 3 domains): • Low Earth Orbit: The EUROBOT robot system on-board the ISS and the TeleFoton on-board the Foton platform for microgravity sciences • Geostationary Servicing: The ConeXpress-Orbital Life Extension Vehicle (CX-OLEV) satellite life extension system