Robotic On-Orbit Servicing - DLR's Experience and Perspective

The increasing number of launched satellites per year, calls for solutions to keep free operational space for telecommunication systems in geo-synchronized orbit, as well as to avoid the endangering of space systems in LEO and of the public living in the habited parts on Earth. Examples for such dangerous stranded space systems in the past are Skylab and MIR. In the future, the uncontrolled and accidental deorbiting of other huge satellites is expected, where parts of these will hit the surface of the Earth. A feasible way to handle such problems might be to enforce the operational requirement to use some dedicated residual fuel for a controlled de-orbiting, or in case of GEO, to lift the satellites at their end of life into the graveyard orbit. Despite these measures, malfunctions of solar generators, control systems or thrusters cannot be avoided. Therefore, on-orbit servicing (OOS) will be a mandatory and challenging topic for space robotics in the near future. The outcome of natio...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: IROS
• Authors: Klaus Landzettel, Carsten Preusche, Alin Albu-Schäffer, Detlef Reintsema, B. Rebele, Gerd Hirzinger
• Keywords: IROS 2006, On-orbit Servicing, Robotics, Satellite, Space Systems