In-Space Proof-of-Concept 3 is the third milestone in ESA’s in-space transportation roadmap, aiming at demonstrating the key enabling capabilities for on-board & shared intelligence, culminating at an In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) of these capabilities.
Such a demonstration will consolidate the two first acquired capabilities of in-orbit rendezvous & docking and in-orbit refilling, with additional features concerning spacecraft intelligence that will strengthen the upcoming reusable space-tugs.
Future space-tugs need to be long-lasting remotely serviceable in-space vehicles, performing several missions over their lifecycle, operating safely from one docking to another, collaborating with a growing number of targets, and orchestrated as fleets of vehicles and cargo. These challenges will likely be addressed across four problem domains:
- On-board Autonomy and Reconfigurability
- On-board Safety and Longevity
- Shared Intelligence for Advanced Cooperation In-space
- Spacecraft Fleet Management
Each domain presents a unique set of challenges for space-tugs (for more information, see the associated documents on esa-star following the link at the bottom of this page).
InSPoC-3 will seek to identify, build, and mature the technologies and solutions needed to solve the challenges listed in each of these four domains of on-board and shared intelligence.
The InSPoC-3 ideation activities that are concerned by this project will be performed on the domains of applications that have been selected by the contractor in its proposal (e.g. bidders have a choice of focusing on either A, B, C, D or some combination of A, B, C, D).
Apply by 2 September 2024 – 13:00 CEST:
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