A Space Warehouse Concept and Ecosystem to Energize European OSAM (STARFAB)

为欧洲 OSAM 注入活力的太空仓库概念和生态系统 (STARFAB)

• 批准号: 10092765
• 金额: $ 20.12万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF YORK
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: EU-Funded
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10092765
• 关键词: Space; Warehouse; Concept; Ecosystem; Energize

Implementing sustainable commercial activities in Earth orbit requires not only the key technologies necessary to offer the targeted services (OOS / ISAM) but also the means to effectively ensure the (re)supply of the associated facilities. Storage and handling of goods and resources in orbit, in support of OOS or ISAM, have received limited attention in the perspectives and roadmaps of the major future space ecosystem and economy players. STARFAB aims to explore a novel concept of an automated orbital Warehouse Unit (WU) within the context of both OOS and ISAM (also known as OSAM) commercial perspectives. It seeks to address a critical gap in the future space ecosystem, serving as an enabler for sustainable OSAM business models. The STARFAB project will develop a Phase A equivalent concept and demonstrator of an orbital Warehouse Unit (WU), drawing inspiration from the state-of-the-art automated warehousing practices on Earth, while considering the challenging environmental conditions encountered in space, such as microgravity, vacuum, extreme temperatures, and radiation. STARFAB's objective is to advance the necessary technologies for handling goods in space (including modular and custom-shaped components, raw materials for manufacturing, fuel, water, and more), using robotics and automation. This will encompass storage elements with varying levels of protection, the Items Handling Solution (IHS), featuring custom automation tools for operations within the warehouse structure, and the Item Transfer System (ITS), designed as a robotic manipulator to provide flexible external item transfer within the WU. The STARFAB concept will also include provisions for robotic inspection and minor maintenance tasks, primarily for STARFAB's own integrity but possibly also as a service for spacecraft docking or berthing with STARFAB. At the end, STARFAB will produce a roadmap outlining the path forward for technology maturation, model philosophy, market opportunities, and subsequent exploitation measures

要在地球轨道上开展可持续的商业活动，不仅需要提供目标服务(OOS/ISAM)所需的关键技术，而且还需要有效确保相关设施(再)供应的手段。在未来主要的空间生态系统和经济角色的观点和路线图中，为支持外层空间系统或国际SAM而在轨道上储存和处理货物和资源的问题受到的关注有限。STARFAB的目标是在OOS和ISAM(也称为OSAM)商业视角下探索自动化轨道仓库单元(WU)的新概念。它寻求解决未来空间生态系统中的一个关键缺口，作为可持续的OSAM商业模式的推动者。STARFAB项目将从地球上最先进的自动化仓储实践中获得灵感，同时考虑到太空中遇到的具有挑战性的环境条件，如微重力、真空、极端温度和辐射，将开发A阶段相当于轨道仓库单元(WU)的概念和演示。STARFAB的目标是利用机器人和自动化来推进在太空中处理货物(包括模块化和定制形状的部件、制造原材料、燃料、水等)的必要技术。这将包括具有不同保护级别的存储元件、具有用于仓库结构内操作的定制自动化工具的物品处理解决方案(IHS)，以及被设计为机器人操作器的物品转移系统(ITS)，以在WU内提供灵活的外部物品转移。STARFAB概念还将包括机器人检查和次要维护任务的规定，主要是为了STARFAB本身的完整性，但也可能作为航天器对接或停靠STARFAB的服务。最后，STARFAB将制定一份路线图，概述技术成熟的前进道路、模式哲学、市场机会和随后的开发措施