Advanced robotics and remote handling technologies from fusion
successfully trialled for complex operations in the space
industry.
Culham and Harwell, Oxfordshire - UK Atomic Energy Authority
(UKAEA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult have partnered to
demonstrate how advanced remote handling and robotics technology
developed for fusion energy research can be used to provide
maintenance for in-orbit satellites.
The technology has been developed and tested at UKAEA’s Remote
Applications in Challenging Environments (RACE) robotics centre
in Culham, Oxfordshire.
The demonstration adds to evidence that the potential economic
spill over of fusion research reaches far beyond the sector
itself, and even as far as the servicing of spacecraft in orbit.
Fusion is the process that powers the sun and stars. The energy
created promises to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of
the world’s future energy supply.
Dr Indira Nagesh, Principal Engineer of UKAEA, said of the
network spillover: “The rewards for recreating the ultimate
fusion energy source here on Earth are enormous, with the
potential for near limitless power for generations to come. Right
now, we’re proving that our technology has lots more immediate
benefits in adjacent sectors.
“Identifying technical challenges and solving them for in-orbit
servicing and repair is exciting. It will greatly help to improve
the longevity of spacecraft and reduce space litter.”
Jeremy Hadall, Robotics Development Lead at the Catapult, said:
“Improving our ability to perform close-proximity operations in
orbit with advanced robotics, will unlock a range of commercial
opportunities in space including debris removal, spacecraft
servicing, and even the manufacture of large structures in orbit.
This trial moves the space industry one step closer to realising
these exciting possibilities.”
Currently, around 6,000 satellites are in orbit around the Earth,
but only 40% are operational. This space debris poses a danger to
all spacecraft which have to perform thousands of avoidance
manoeuvres each year to prevent collisions. Servicing and
maintenance can extend operational lifetimes and the same
technologies can be used to support active debris removal
missions.
Hadall continued: “While the space industry has assembled
structures and serviced them in the past, it has been extremely
costly and required national agencies to lead. However, there is
a significant commercial requirement to remove these barriers
using robotics as we expand our reach beyond Earth.”
A replica section of a typical spacecraft provided by Satellite
Applications Catapult was assembled at RACE.
Demonstrations were carried out in the Automated Inspection and
Maintenance Test Unit (AIM-TU), a highly modular robot cell for
research and development containing two UR10e (Universal
Robotics) robots with 1.3 metre reach.
A ‘digital twin’ of the operation using specialist software was
also completed to show how operators can take over the manual
command of the operation, if required, and train the system to
carry out new missions.
While the automation isn’t space-qualified, engineers have
demonstrated how such processes can potentially be replicated in
space by understanding technical challenges in implementing
remote handling capability.
“The demonstrations have shown how fusion energy technologies can
support faster and safer operations,” added Mr Hadall.
“We’re pleased to be working with UKAEA on this collaboration and
envisage the relationship to continue as both organisations look
to spur innovation by addressing common challenges,” he
concluded.
Since its opening at Culham, Oxford, in 2016, UKAEA’s RACE
facility has conducted research and development in the use of
robotics to protect people in challenging environments.
