ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Technologies for Active Debris Removal

Clean Space

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Guaranteeing the future of space activities by protecting the environment

Objective of the Clean Space Initiative

debris mitigation

Ecodesign

Evaluation of environmental impacts

active debris removal

We develop technologies to and Earth

15 – 20 M€

10 – 15 M€

15 – 20 M€

Distribution of Catalogued Objects

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Launch

Phasing

Rendezvous Altitude raising to

>2000 km

Or

Perigee lowering burns (1 to 5)

Capture Target

De-orbit burn

Re-Entry over SPOUA

Initial orbit (300 x 300 km)

Commissioning

Target orbit

Note: initial orbit could be optimised, performances of the UM assumed

The e.deorbit mission

The objective is to remove a large ESA owned object

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Decisions

MBR PRR MDR B1 Kick-off

Phase A

MC

B1 ITT

Phase B1

2014 2015

Capture technique selected for rigid, flexible & re-orbit options

Decision to de-orbit only, with either robotic arm + clamping mech. Or net

Industry choses preferred capture technique

Decision on implementa-tion phase

Technology developments › Capturing

› De-tumbling › Sensors

› GNC

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Phase A overview

Robin Biesbroek

One point

Multiple points

Rigid Flexible

Harpoon ✔ ✔

Robotic arm ✔

✔

Net

✔

✔

Clamping mechanism

✔ ✔

How do we capture ?

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT design overview

Flexible Option: Rigid Option: Re-orbit Option: Net Robotic arm+clamping Robotic arm+clamping VEGA launch Vega launch Soyuz launch (CP)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS design overview

Flexible Option: Rigid Option: Re-orbit Option: Harpoon Robotic arm+clamping Robotic arm+clamping VEGA launch Vega launch VEGA launch (EP)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS design overview

Flexible Option: Rigid Option: Re-orbit Option: Net Robotic arm+clamping Robotic arm VEGA launch Vega launch VEGA launch (EP)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Validation philosophy

VERIFICATION

TESTING

SIMULATION

TRL 6 has not been reached by any technology

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

The Net

• Throw-nets have been used to capture non-cooperative targets since the antiquities.

• They offer the benefit of being more or less agnostic to target shape and rotation rates.

• They can be launched from a distance • Has the added advantage of distributing loads across the surface of

the target. • Currently two consortia are running two parallel activities to

develop dynamics simulators for the net and to validate them on parabolic flights.

• Nets require the use of tethers for the deorbit itself

• The control of the tether during stabilisation and subsequent burn is probably the biggest challenge.

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

The Harpoon

• Harpoons have as long a history as the net does for capturing uncooperative targets.

• Is also quite agnostic to target shape • Is probably quite resistant to different rotation rates. • Can be launched from a distance • You can control where your attachment point will be. • The TRL is currently being advanced to 4/5 under a GSTP

activity.

• The harpoon system also needs to be tethered for the de-orbit burn

• In addition to the control of the tether, the harpoon also needs to be strong enough to transfer all forces through a single point.

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

The robotic arm

• Robotic arms have been used in space for a number of applications.

• A robotic arm can be used to grab a satellite by a predefined interface point.

• Once the satellite has been grabbed, a clamping or rigidisation procedure would effectively turn the two spacecraft into a single unit

• This allows more classical control during stabilisation and during the de-orbit

• The biggest challenges lie in the required very close proximity operations around a tumbling target

• and in the high technical complexity of the system.

Canadarm grapples the SpaceX Dragon capsule from the ISS. Credit: NASA

Picture from robotic arm during on-orbit capture of the ASTRA spacecraft by DARPA’s Orbital Express mission. Credit: DARPA

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

The clamping mechanism

TRP run on a clamping mechanism, aiming at elaborating a rigid connection between the chaser and the target. TRL5 reached at PDR.

target

chaser Picture from the detailed design of the clamping mechanism proposed by OHB / SENER presented at the IAC2014 Credit OHB

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

Conclusions

• Capturing a debris is a challenge which still needs to be faced • Different mechanisms could be used according objective of the mission

and the debris characteristics • No mechanism has reached yet the necessary TRL 6 • Technology activities on several mechanisms will continue in the

coming years to obtain the adequate building blocks to be used in future missions

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT Flexible Option: net

1. 2 sets of net canisters 2. Net 60 x 60 m -> embraces entire

Envisat + solar panel 3. Net ejection at 70 m @ 2 m/s 4. Closure mechanisms to close net 3

m/s wind up (10 seconds to close) 5. Conversion of rotating motion to

oscillating motion 6. 7 burns for re-entry

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT net option platform

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT rigid option: robotic arm + clamping mechanism

1. Rockvis (DEOS) based arm 2. New gripper to grab launcher adapter 3. Clamping mechanism for firm grip 4. Berthed configuration

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT: rigid option grabbing sequence

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT: rigid option platform

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

KT: reorbit option: Robot arm + clamping mechanism

1. Rockvis (DEOS) based arm 2. New gripper to grab launcher adapter 3. Clamping mechanism for firm grip 4. Berthed configuration

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS flexible option: Harpoon

1. 2 harpoons 2. Blade instead of wire. Motoreductor unwinds blade to give 5 – 20 m slack 3. Helium gas to spin up and to eject 4. Blade unwound more 5. 3 burns re-entry

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS: flexible option platform

X-band modulator

Fuel tanks

Pressurant tank

SMU

PCDUGPS

Receiver

BatteryGyroscope

PDHU

S-band TRSP

S-band RFDN

X-band RFDN

X-band TWT

X-band EPC

Harpoon

22N thrusters

Solar Array

400N thrusters

22N thrusters

LGA

Star Trackers

SASSAS

LGA

SBA

SBA

GPS

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS rigid option: Robot arm + clamping mechanism

Vision System Components (cameras and

pattern projectors)

LAR Capture Jaws

“Ready for Capture”

Light Curtain Sensor

Assemblies

MDA Patent Pending

1. Capture Tool Overview

Alignment Mechanism

(Rotary Joint)

LAR Clamping

Mechanism (Vise)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

26 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (1)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

27 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (2)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

28 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (3)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

29 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (4)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

30 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (5)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

31 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (6)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

32 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (7)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

33 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (8)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

34 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (9)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public This document is not to be reproduced, modified, adapted, published, translated in any material form in whole or in part nor disclosed to any third party without the prior written permission of Thales Alenia Space - 2012, Thales Alenia Space

3.4 Rigid capture/ MDA

19/05/2015

Ref.:

35 1. Robotic Concept of Operations

2. Berthing a. Step 1: Re-positioning PRIMA (10)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS: rigid option platform

X-band modulator

Fuel tanks

Pressurant tank

SMU

PCDUGPS

Receiver

Battery

GyroscopePDHU

S-band TRSP

S-band RFDN

X-band RFDN

X-band TWT

X-band EPC

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

TAS reorbit option: Robot arm + clamping mechanism

Vision System Components (cameras and

pattern projectors)

LAR Capture Jaws

“Ready for Capture”

Light Curtain Sensor

Assemblies

MDA Patent Pending

1. Capture Tool Overview

Alignment Mechanism

(Rotary Joint)

LAR Clamping

Mechanism (Vise)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS design overview

Flexible Option: Rigid Option: Re-orbit Option: Net Robotic arm+clamping Robotic arm VEGA launch Vega launch VEGA launch (EP)

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS Flexible Option: net

1. 2 sets of net canisters 2. Kevlar 3. 30 m hemisphere 4. Net ejection at 50 m @ 2 m/s 5. Closure mechanisms to close net

(10 seconds to close) 6. Unreel tether to 110 m 7. Conversion of rotating motion to

oscillating motion 8. 1 burn for re-entry 9. Min. 200 N needed for stabilisation

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS: flexible option platform

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS rigid option: Robot arm + clamping ‘fixation’ mechanism

1. Rockvis (DEOS) based arm 2. New gripper to grab launcher adapter 3. Fixation device for firm grip 4. Seated configuration 5. 3 burns for re-entry

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS: fixation sequence

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS: rigid option platform

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

ADS reorbit option: Robot arm

1. Rockvis (DEOS) based arm 2. New gripper to grab launcher adapter 3. Fixation device for firm grip 4. Seated configuration 5. 3 burns for re-entry

ESA UNCLASSIFIED – Releasable to the Public

e.Deorbit Phase A