A team of engineers is hands-on assembling Europe’s most complex robotic arm, preparing for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
The sophisticated robot, known as the Sample Transfer Arm (STA), can extend up to 2.4 metres and perform a large range of movements with seven degrees of freedom, assisted by two cameras and an array of sensors.
The arm’s configuration mimics a human arm, complete with a shoulder, elbow and wrist, along with its own built-in brain and eyes. Able to ‘see’, ‘feel’ and take autonomous decisions, the robotic arm also features a gripper – akin to a hand – capable of handling objects with millimetric precision.
A sophisticated force and torque sensor gives the robot a sense of touch, enabling it to pick up and transfer objects with high dexterity. This sensor ‘feels’ exactly how something is being pushed, pulled, and twisted in 3D space, all at once. Position sensors inside the joints help compute the exact location of the tip of the arm.
This precision will be key for complex space operations, from collecting geological samples to supporting astronaut activities.
The Sample Transfer Arm was originally developed in the context of the joint NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return campaign. For that mission, the task was to transfer precious martian soil samples from the Perseverance rover and help with the delivery back to Earth, but it can also serve a multitude of applications on the Moon and Mars.
The Sample Transfer Arm draws on decades of European expertise in space robotics. Teams at the Italian aerospace company Leonardo are currently busy completing the arm’s integration. Engineers will be testing its first moves in simulated space scenarios at Leonardo’s Nerviano plant, near Milan, in the coming weeks.
The key members of the STA industrial consortium led by Leonardo are GMV and AVS from Spain, Maxon from Switzerland, 3DPlus from France and COMOTI from the Czech Republic, together with suppliers from Denmark, Greece and Germany. This collaboration showcases Europe’s drive for autonomy in space.
Space robotic technologies are accelerating European autonomy and strategic independence for Moon and Mars exploration. Versatile by design, the Sample Transfer Arm could support future Moon missions.
Discover more images of the Sample Transfer Arm coming together on our Mars blog.