The ADRexp Project
Anthropomorphic gripper for recovery of debris from orbital space – Active debris removal demonstration in laboratory condition experiment (ADRexp).
The goal of the ADRexp project was to build a laboratory model of a device for interception of satellites. The project studied requirements of such missions and proposed two gripper models compatible with different fixation rings used by the European market. Specific emphasis was placed on usability of the device in the future ESA’s mission, e.Deorbit, consisting of interception and deorbiting of the Envisat satellite. The project ended with equipment tests carried out on a pneumatic table at one of the ESA’s technology centres in ESTEC, the Netherlands.
Implementation timeframe: 01/03/2015 – 01/08/2016
Project budget: EUR 199,000
Contract number: 4000113467/15/NL/CBi, project financed by ESA
Coordinator: Industrial Institute for Automation and Measurements (PIAP), Poland
Partners: Thales Alenia Space, France