One current research in industrial robots is the development of mechanisms based on parallel kinematics, with flexible elements instead of rigid bars. This allows fast robots to operate close to humans or other robots, with reduced risk of damage in case of collision.Future robotic exploration will benefit from the advantages of parallel kinematics and flexibility of its elements, such advantages being notably:- For parallel kinematics: actuators can be placed inside the robot, hence protected from the environment.

In space missions, in which materials can be scarce, CO2 appears as a valuable resource t

Background and context: The aim of this activity is to breadboard the Straylight LIDAR instrument concept and to verify its performance experimentally. This activity aims to raise the TRL to 4 and follows the TDE activity (T216-104MM Verification of straylight rejection of optical science payloads using a pulsed laser source). The aim of this smooth follow-on is to verify the concept experimentally using an available flight spare space telescope baffle as a representative test object.Description of the concept: The technique is called ?straylight LIDAR?

In the last years, electric propulsion has become an interesting alternative to the traditional chemical propulsion for different applications, ranging from transfers to GEO to operations of (large) constellations of small satellites in LEO.The activity will first look at available data on flown hardware and their performance, together with a review of currently adopted operational concepts.

Using an optimized control will enable not to oversize the CMGs and so to reduce the mission cost, but also the volume and mass, while benefiting of an enhanced agility.

Composite materials are widely used in space applications as they offer very high specific stiffness and strength properties. Their nature and manufacturing processes offer the possibility of embedding sensors for measuring fundamental quantities that can be used to monitor the structure during its entire life-cycle. Fiber optical sensors, for instance, are a promising candidate for this application. Optical fibers are compatible with common resins; they can be embedded into composites during conventional manufacturing processes such as hand layup, filament winding, tape placement, etc.