RM at the Space Tech Expo 23

The preservation and expansion of the space ecosystem is the central goal of the impulse project Orbital Sustainability (ION). The targeted pooling of expertise from the three research areas of space, aviation and security, particularly in the areas of robotics and automation, satellite operations, detection, positioning and evaluation of large space debris, as well as maintenance and repair from aviation, will make a significant contribution to sustainability and the reduced use of raw materials by changing operational processes. The individual contributions not only build on each other logically, but are also technically coordinated and flow into a joint demonstrator system.

The ION project takes a holistic approach to the space ecosystem and addresses the sustainability aspects over the entire life cycle of satellites, from construction and commissioning to maintenance, inspection, lifetime extension, recycling and disposal. In the short term, contributions are made in scrap removal, inspection and initial servicing to maintain and secure the current orbital infrastructure in order to ensure the continued use of the scarce resource "orbit". Medium and long-term tasks will be assessed, the requirements for missing technologies and framework conditions will be specified.