Preliminary design of on-orbit manufacturing of large antenna reflectors

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.