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Nebula Public Library

The knowledge bank of ESA’s R&D programmes

Preliminary design of on-orbit manufacturing of large antenna reflectors

Programme
Discovery
Programme Reference
19-D-S-TEC-07
Prime Contractor
Airbus
Start Date
End Date
Status
Closed
Country
France
Preliminary design of on-orbit manufacturing of large antenna reflectors
Description

This study aims to carry out the conceptual design of a large-parabolic-antenna reflector that is manufactured and assembled on-orbit.

Through its Clean Space initiative, ESA has been devoting an increasing amount of attention to the environmental impact of its activities, including its own operations as well as operations performed by European industry in the frame of ESA programmes. In its Technology Strategy, ESA identified 'Inverting Europe’s contribution to space debris by 2030' as one of the four technology development targets.

The current activity is intended to support achieving this target. On-orbit manufacturing and recycling is a concept that has been gaining momentum in the past years. A number of isolated technology developments have taken place recently. The reuse of space debris in orbit would turn a problem into a valuable asset.

Application Domain
Generic Technologies
Technology Domain
24 - Materials and Manufacturing Processes
11 - Space Debris
Competence Domain
10 - Astrodynamics / Space Debris / Space Environment
Keywords
OMAR
on-orbit manufacturing
commercialisation
CleanSpace
Space debris
space debris mitigation
Initial TRL
TRL N/A
Target TRL
TRL N/A
Achieved TRL
TRL N/A
Public Document
Executive Summary