Concepts of active payload modules and end-effectors suitable for standard interface for robotic manipulation of payloads in future space missions (SIROM) interface

The increasing variety of space missions, combined with their rising complexity and need for more environmentally-friendly, yet cost-effective, solutions, is putting the traditional spacecraft and rover designs to the test. In fact, the majority of nowadays spacecraft and planetary rovers are mostly monolithic, one-of-a-kind, single-use systems, hardly offering any possibility for their future servicing, upgrade or re-use. The EU-funded H2020 project Standard Interface for Robotic Manipulation of Payloads in Future Space Missions (SIROM) aims to bridge this gap by developing an integrated and inherently optimized multi-functional standard interface for mechanical, data, electrical and thermal transfer. The interface, in combination with a custom end-effector and active payload modules (APMs), will allow designing modular and re-configurable systems that could be easily serviced and upgraded via a dedicated robotic system for in-orbit or planetary environment. With respect to the existing state-of-the-art, the interface and modules in SIROM are being developed considering the need for scalability, reusability, compatibility with robotic manipulation and suitability for both environments. Within this context, the paper aims to analyze the feasibility of APM and end-effector concepts, within the system requirements of the project, in order to identify their most suitable preliminary concepts. The analysis is performed in terms of functionalities and architecture, and in case of APMs, considers a remote sensing and power storage system as payloads for orbital and planetary scenarios, respectively. The methodology used for the evaluation of APM and end-effector concepts is a top-down methodology generally used for the design and sizing of payloads of space missions. It consists of: (a) definition of payload objectives and its desired capabilities, (b) identification of candidates, (c) estimation of their characteristics based on analogy, scaling or component budgeting, and (d) evaluation and selection of a reference concept. Moreover, in case of the end-effector analysis, interactions and configurations with APM concepts were also taken into consideration. The results of the analysis point out the feasibility of APMs and end-effectors, within the system requirements of the project, and outline concepts that could be used in the future steps of the project as a guideline in the detailed design of APMs and end-effectors.