ESA External Payload Capabilities on the Columbus Laboratory
- Paper number
IAC-08.B3.2.-D2.7.8
- Author
Mr. Giuseppe Reibaldi, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands
- Coauthor
Mr. Rosario Nasca, European Space Agency (ESA), The Netherlands
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The Columbus Laboratory has been launched and its external payloads successfully operated. Four external platforms, that can accommodate payloads up to 350 kg, are now available on Columbus. To complement this capability, ESA is defining an additional payloads carrier on Columbus in order to accommodate small/medium size external payloads up to 50 kg. ESA has released a call for interest in order to confirm the interest of the European scientific and industrial community for this type of payloads. The capability of this payloads carrier will be improved by a human size robotic arm. In addition to servicing the small/medium external payloads, this arm will be used to demonstrate outstanding robotic capabilities required for the human exploration of the moon. The paper shall describe the design as well as the planning for implementing these new capabilities. The main results of a call for interest by small/medium size experiments carried out by ESA shall also be presented.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.B3.2.-D2.7.8.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.