EU-RISE: Advancing European Space Robotics for a Future Commercial Ecosystem

This paper details the EUropean RobotIcs for Space Ecosystems (EU-RISE) project, an initiative funded bythe European Union to advance robotic and autonomous technologies for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM). EU-RISE is structured around two key workstreams: a market-needs assessment to define future mission capabilities and the development of a modular architecture, and the adaptation and integration of hardware and software building blocks into a functional demonstrator. The paper provides a comprehensive overview of the system’s hardware, including the Versatile In-Space and Planetary Arm (VISPA) and KUKA robotic manipulator as well as the Multi-Purpose Tool (MPT). On the software front, it presents a multi-tier architecture, a robust digital twin, and the Robotic System Control (RSC) software for managing tasks and fault recovery [1]. By describing the interplay of these components, this paper highlights EU-RISE's contribution to a more autonomous, cost-effective, and reliable future for in-orbit infrastructure.