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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.

There is an increased attention to safeguarding the Earth orbital environment, as reflected by the number of relevant regulations that are being set forward by national governments and international organisations. Among others, ESA has published a Space Debris Mitigation Policy for Agency Projects (ESA/ADMIN/IPOL(2014)2), supported by the corresponding ESA Space Debris Mitigation Compliance Verification Guidelines (ESSB-HB-U-002).

Although the first laser communication systems were demonstrated in space in the 1990s, it is only recently that the technology, reliability and economics of space based optical systems have combined with the need for more bandwidth to push them into operation. Developments supported by space agencies pave the way for a commercial use of optical technologies, which are planned to revolutionize communication network architectures by introducing a hybrid terrestrial/space options.

A set of tools have been developed to enable assessment of the Feasibility of Ultra Low Thrust Transfers in regions of multi-body gravity field influence. Aspects include:
• Trajectory design/optimisation
• Error analysis and stochastic manoeuvre budgets
Navigation analyses have been performed to understand the solution sensitivity to key input assumptions.