A European Space Agency (ESA) project to promote innovation has successfully implemented the manufacturing chain for a Space Robotic Factory. In just six months, the project, called StarTiger, demonstrated the feasibility from design to manufacturing of such a space robot.
The ESA project involved renowned industrial and research partners, including Airbus Defence and Space, the startup 9T Labs, and the universities of Cranfield and Luxembourg. The participants contributed their expertise in areas such as additive manufacturing, robotics and 3D sensor technology.
In the Airbus laboratories in Toulouse, a functioning demonstrator version of a Space Robotic Factory was created in a very short time. With the help of state-of-the-art technologies such as metal 3D printing, CFRP printing and autonomous robots, the ambitious mission was accomplished.
According to Gianfranco Visentin of the ESA, the project illustrates the innovative power that lies in cooperation between industry and science. Within just a few months, he says, the limits of what is technologically feasible have been pushed and a milestone has been set for space exploration.
The StarTiger project underscores the potential for innovation in space travel through collaborative partnerships. In this way, ESA aims to support industry in opening up new fields of technology.
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