SHAPING THE FUTURE OF SPACE ROBOTICS. FROM ORBITAL DEBRIS TO EXPLORING DISTANT WORLDS

Marilena Amoroso, head of Human and Robotic Exploration sector, ASI-Italian Space Agency

Gianfranco Visentin, head of Automation and Robotics Section ESA-European Space Agency, ESTEC-European Space Research and Technology Centre

Armin Wedler, head Planetary Exploration team Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, DLR-Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt

Stefano Seriani, professor of Applied Mechanics and Robotics University of Trieste

From reaching orbit to exploring the Moon, Mars and beyond, “space is hard” is a refrain often heard by those pushing humanity’s limits. Robots, guided by engineers and scientists, have long supported astronauts in tackling these immense challenges. We will discuss key aspects of robotic space exploration: In Situ Resource Utilization, in-orbit assembly, multi-agent exploration, and more. We’ll look at progress toward the Moon and Mars, space debris risks, in-orbit manufacturing, and what the future holds in space for Europe and the world.