European Robotic Arm

The European Robotic Arm (ERA) is a robotic arm to be attached to the Russian Segment of the International Space Station. The intelligent space robot has several interesting features. Most prominent are its ability to 'walk' around the exterior of the station under its own control, hand-over-hand between pre-fixed basepoints and its ability to perform many tasks automatically or semi-automatically, thereby freeing its operators to do other work. Specific tasks of ERA include:

Related Topics:
Robot - Russia - International Space Station

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• Installation and deployment of solar arrays
• Replacement of solar arrays
• Inspection of the station
• Handling of (external) payloads
• Support of cosmonauts during space walks

The International Space Station already features one robotic arm, the Canadarm2 but because of the different types of basepoints and payload mounting units that arm can not be used on the Russian part of the ISS.

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The ERA project is very international. Developed for the European Space Agency (ESA) by the European space industry with Dutch Space as prime contractor and subcontractors in 8 countries, the robot arm will be launched by a Russian Proton rocket to be put to work in space by Russian cosmonauts. During the launch, ERA is attached to the Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM). This Russian module will also serve as home base for ERA during operations with the robot arm.

Related Topics:
European Space Agency - Dutch Space - Proton rocket - Multipurpose Laboratory Module

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European Robotic Arm: Control of ERA ►