Speaker
Description
Airbus has developed many concepts in the field of In-Orbit Servicing, and built unique experience and competencies across:
• Rendezvous and proximity operations: as prime for the ATV programme, leading the world first full automated rendezvous; this success was the result of an intense effort involving design and validation of whole GNC functional chain (incl. Visual Based Navigation sensors and image processing), FDIR means, and operations procedures definition;
• Capture: effective management of the docking between the ATV and the ISS, which remains the only in-flight experience in Europe;
• Key roles were held for the RemoveDebris mission, with in-orbit experiments of net and harpoon capture: overall system engineering lead for the mission (on behalf of SSTL as prime), and responsibility for net system design and development;
• Prime for the various projects in the field of debris removal: ESA-funded e.Deorbit up to phase B1 consolidation as single team (covering all aspects of the system definition for the Envisat removal mission), DLR-funded DEOS up to PDR, phase A study for the removal of mega-constellations in the frame of SUNRISE ESA-OW PPP, etc;
• Various technology development studies, supported by ESA or space national agencies, related to in-space manufacturing and assembly, at both system and technology level;
• Internal Space Tug project, with the O.CUBED initiative, addressing in-orbit servicing for GEO satellites (lifetime extension, refuelling, etc), has also been enabling development of key skills for managing such missions and services.
