Preliminary Test Results of a Relocatable Robotic Demonstrator for In-Space Telescope Servicing and Assembly

Kurzfassung

The demand for larger space instruments continues to grow across various mission types to achieve enhanced performance. Traditionally, this has been addressed by either large monolithic spacecraft or complex semi-folding designs. However, these structures are fundamentally constrained by the volume and mass limitations of rockets, and the latest missions are approaching these limits. Emerging approaches propose dividing the instrument into smaller components, launching them separately, and then assembling them in space to form a much larger structure. This is particularly relevant for space observation and exploration missions involving large orbital telescopes. However, onorbit assembly of such instruments presents significant challenges, and key technologies—such as robotics, docking mechanisms, and system control—must be developed to enable a sustainable shift in this paradigm. To this end, this paper presents a robotic system called MAR (Multi-Arm Robot) for in-space servicing and assembly of large telescopes. The MAR is a dual-arm modular robotic manipulator capable of relocating, transporting, and positioning hexagonal mirror tiles. It was developed under the Technology Research Program (contract No. 4000132220/20/NL/RA), funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), titled Multi-arm Installation Robot for Readying ORUs and Reflectors (MIRROR)