EROSS Pushes Europe to the Forefront of On-Orbit Servicing
Europe is taking a decisive step toward the future of space operations. With the European Robotic Orbital Support Services (EROSS) programme reaching major development milestones in 2025, the region is positioning itself as a global leader in on-orbit servicing technologies — a domain increasingly tied to satellite sustainability, space safety and long-term European space sovereignty.
Coordinated by Thales Alenia Space and funded by the European Commission, EROSS unites a broad consortium of leading space research and industry partners. After nearly a decade of development, the programme has now advanced to the Critical Design phase, paving the way for an in-orbit demonstration that will test robotic capture, refuelling, repair and other critical operations under real conditions.
The technical progress signals something larger: Europe is shifting from fragmented technology development toward a coherent system-level capability in robotic satellite servicing, an area expected to underpin future commercial, institutional and security missions.
A Collaborative Model for European Space Sovereignty
The EROSS consortium reads like a map of European engineering strength. Alongside Thales Alenia Space, participants include the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Sener Aerospace and Defence, GMV, PIAP Space, Almatech, CSEM, TRASYS, Kongsberg and SINTEF. Together, they represent a cross-continental network of robotics, sensing, AI, mechanisms and mission design expertise.
This cooperation is not incidental; it’s a strategic choice in a field where no single country holds every asset. Two major reviews — the System Preliminary Design Review and the Satellite Preliminary Design Review — confirmed that this distributed model is delivering. The consortium now moves into detailed design with a unified architecture and a common roadmap for European on-orbit servicing missions.
“In a context where European space sovereignty matters more than ever, Thales Alenia Space is proud to coordinate the EROSS consortium,” said Bertrand Denis, VP Observation, Science and Exploration. “Technologies developed in EROSS leverage our long experience in space exploration and will strengthen European resilience.”
The emphasis on sovereignty reflects a growing trend in global space strategy. As orbital activity expands, Europe is seeking not only to build satellites but to maintain, reposition, repair and extend their lifetimes independently.
A Decade of Technology Maturation Reaches a Turning Point
On-orbit servicing requires a suite of interdependent technologies — from autonomous docking and high-precision sensing to dexterous robotics and standardised mechanical interfaces. Since 2016, EROSS partners have been systematically maturing these capabilities for robotic orbital servicing.
In 2025, many subsystems reached Technology Readiness Level 6, meaning they have been validated in relevant environments and are ready to move toward flight qualification. Key advancements include:
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Robotic arm developed by DLR and Kinetik Space for capture and manipulation.
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Grippers from PIAP Space, Almatech and CSEM, designed for both prepared and unprepared client satellites.
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Standard mechanical interfaces led by Sener and Space Applications Services.
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Refuelling interface engineered by Sener.
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Vision algorithms from GMV, Thales Alenia Space and TRASYS to enable precise relative navigation.
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Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) algorithms from Thales Alenia Space.
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Lidar sensors from Kongsberg, SINTEF, Thales Alenia Space and CSEM.
All components passed design reviews in late November, confirming both their maturity and the reliability of Europe’s building blocks for future satellite-servicing missions.
For DLR, a long-time leader in space robotics, the project represents a culmination of two decades of work. “EROSS is a game-changer for orbital services, and it puts European space innovation very visibly on the map,” said Prof. Dr. Alin Albu-Schaeffer, Director of the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics. “With this mission, we are proving that Europe is leading the future of robotic space operations.”
Why On-Orbit Servicing Matters Now
On-orbit servicing has moved from long-term ambition to near-term necessity. Several forces are accelerating demand for satellite servicing technologies:
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Expansion of commercial satellite constellations
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Increasing congestion and debris in low-Earth orbit
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Rising infrastructure demands for Earth observation, navigation and communications
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A push for sustainability and lifecycle extension in space systems
By enabling inspection, refuelling, repair and repositioning, servicing capabilities help extend satellite lifetimes, reduce debris and support new operational models including orbital logistics.
For Europe, autonomy is a critical factor. “We believe it is essential for Europe to preserve its autonomy in critical on-orbit servicing technologies,” said Diego Rodriguez, Space General Manager at Sener Aerospace and Defence. “EROSS stands as a cornerstone of that ambition.”
Preparing for Europe’s In-Orbit Demonstration Mission
The next frontier for EROSS is an in-orbit demonstration mission, designed to validate the overall system under real conditions and engage with both “prepared” and “unprepared” satellites — the latter representing the majority of active objects in orbit.
The demonstration will showcase:
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Autonomous rendezvous
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Close-proximity operations
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Capture and stabilisation
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Robotic manipulation
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Potential refuelling
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Use of standardised servicing interfaces
If successful, it will mark Europe’s most advanced demonstration of integrated on-orbit servicing, reinforcing the continent’s technological leadership in space robotics and servicing missions.
By year-end, EROSS expects to complete a key contractual milestone: satellite-level approval of subsystem maturation and detailed planning for the next design phase — essential steps toward flight hardware and mission integration.
A Blueprint for Europe’s Space Infrastructure Future
Beyond its technical accomplishments, EROSS exemplifies a scalable model for building complex space infrastructure in Europe. The programme shows that multi-country, multi-company collaboration — when aligned under a single architectural vision — can deliver at both technical and programmatic levels.
In July, Commissioner Andrius Kubilius captured this momentum: “Be bold, be brave, be ambitious. In space, the sky’s the limit.”
EROSS is demonstrating what that ambition looks like in practice. By advancing the technologies needed for robotic on-orbit servicing and preparing for a full in-space demonstration, Europe is moving from conceptual studies to operational capability.
As detailed design advances and preparations for in-orbit demonstration continue, Europe is laying the foundation for a new generation of missions that can repair, refuel, upgrade and extend satellites. These capabilities will become increasingly essential as orbital environments grow more complex and as Europe seeks to maintain autonomy and competitiveness in global space infrastructure.
If momentum continues, EROSS will ensure that Europe is not merely participating in the emerging on-orbit servicing economy — it will be helping shape it.