ESA Open Invitation To Tender AO8841
Open Date: 21/12/2016
Closing Date: 06/02/2017 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 16.133.02
Prog. Ref.: TRP
Budget Ref.: E/0901-01 – TRP
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+PL+EE+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Mechanisms / Mechanisms / Other
Techology Domains: Automation, Telepresence & Robotics / Applications and Concepts / Orbital Systems
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate of Technical & Quality Manag
Department: Mechanical Engineering Department
Division: Structure and Mechanisms Division
Contract Officer: Strzelecki, Patryk Michal
Industrial Policy Measure: C1 – Activities in open competition limited to the non-Larg…
Last Update Date: 21/12/2016
Update Reason: Tender issue

The e.deorbit CDF study and consequent Phase A studies identified the clamping mechanism as a necessary part of the space debris removal mission.On the basis of the results of a previous TRP on a capturing/clamping mechanism, and the results from the Phase A of e.deorbit, the new capture method is to use a robotic arm for capture, and a clamping mechanism only for the high torques resulting from the deorbit burns.The target spacecraft is in the initial phase captured by the chaser’s robotic arm in order to establish a mechanical link between the two bodies. The robotic arm is, however, not sufficiently strong and stiff to be only relied on for the final deorbit manoeuvre where large forces have to be transferred between the two bodies.The clamping mechanism which will be located on the chaser spacecraft will clamp to a defined interface on the target. After clamping, the mechanism shall provide structural link between the two spacecrafts in order to enable a controllable deorbit burn manoeuvre.The mechanism shall tolerate some uncertainties w.r.t. to the position and condition of the interface on the target. The mechanism shall allow several clamping attempts to increase the robustness of the clamping operations. The mechanism shall also remain clamped after being powered off.For controllability reasons it is necessary that the thrust of the deorbit burn engine is transferred through an axis on which both the target and chaser centers of gravity are located. The mechanism shall therefore also provide at least one degree of freedom in order to compensate for any residual misalignment of centers of gravity of the two bodies.Thus, this activity is to encompasses design, analyses and manufacturing of a breadboard which will be submitted to a functional test to verify the mechanical clamping. Quasi-static load tests of the clamped configuration shall be performed.Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news „Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.

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