Latest news with #Airbus-built
Broadcast Pro
02-04-2025
- Science
- Broadcast Pro
Airbus to build key systems for ESA's ExoMars lander
Airbus designed and built the Rosalind Franklin rover in the bio-burden cleanroom in Stevenage, before delivering it to TAS in 2019. Airbus has been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Thales Alenia Space (TAS), the ExoMars industrial prime contractor, to develop crucial systems for the ExoMars lander. This lander will safely deliver the Rosalind Franklin rover to the Martian surface. Following atmospheric entry, descent and a parachute-assisted braking phase, the Airbus-built landing platform will ensure a controlled touchdown on Mars and facilitate the rovers deployment onto the surface. Kata Escott, Managing Director of Airbus Defence and Space UK said: 'Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars. Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from two metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK, and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system.' UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle added: 'This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars. Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure Britains future through our Plan for Change.' Under TASs leadership, Airbus teams in Stevenage will design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems essential for a safe landing in 2030. This includes the landing structure, a propulsion system for final braking thrust, and landing gear to stabilise the lander upon touchdown. The platform will feature two deployable ramps on opposite sides, allowing the rover to select the safest descent route onto the Martian surface. Airbus engineers in Stevenage have built over 120 propulsion systems for more than 90 spacecraft, supporting telecoms, Earth observation, science and exploration missions. The ExoMars system will use retro rockets to reduce the landers descent speed from 45m/s after the parachute phase to under 3m/s before touchdown. Airbus originally designed and built the Rosalind Franklin rover in its bio-burden cleanroom in Stevenage, delivering it to TAS in 2019. While the mission was initially scheduled for launch in 2022, it was postponed due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict. Now, Airbus is collaborating with TAS, ESA and NASA to upgrade the rover ahead of its revised 2028 launch on a NASA-supplied rocket. Updates include integrating NASAs Radioisotope Heater Units (RHUs) to maintain warmth on Mars and introducing a software mode that enables the rover to quickly transition to autonomous operation after landing. The mission is scheduled to land in 2030, strategically avoiding the planets global dust season.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First Metal Object 3D-Printed in Space Recovered on Earth
The first metal thingamajig ever 3D printed in space has landed on Earth, where European Space Agency (ESA) scientists are now studying it. In a press release, the ESA announced that the object — a round metal demonstration part, produced on the International Space Station, that features a variety of stubby cylindrical objects — is now safely in the hands of agency scientists in the Netherlands. At the ESA's European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC), scientists will soon conduct quality analysis experiments to see what differences show up in objects manufactured in zero-gravity environments. A second, similarly 3D-printed object will be brought back to Earth and handed over to the Technical University of Denmark. Just over a year ago, ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen successfully installed the Airbus-built metal 3D printer in the Space Station's Columbus module — a feat unto itself, given that setting up complicated machinery like that is hard enough on Earth and all the more so without gravity. Soon after, the printer proved its prowess when it printed a curly "S" shape on a flat piece of metal, followed by two full samples including the one now in the hands of ESA scientists at ESTEC. Though this feat will inevitably help pave the way for future off-world manufacturing endeavors, this wasn't the first time an object had been 3D printed in orbit. That distinction occurred more than a decade ago, when NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore — the same one who's slated to come back down to Earth in a few weeks after being stuck on the ISS for 10 months longer than expected — installed and test-calibrated the first-ever in-orbit 3D printer. That printer could only produce plastic objects, though, which Wilmore used to craft a faceplate for its own casing. While we're still many moons away from building self-sufficient space habitats with objects created in situ, this test is a fascinating look into what humans can build for themselves in zero gravity — and a nice reminder that there are broader horizons beyond our Terran foibles. More on space manufacturing: Robot With Large Drill Headed for Surface of Moon
Broadcast Pro
24-02-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Eutelsat, MediaTek and Airbus conduct 5G NTN trial over LEO satellites
During the trial, a 5G user terminal successfully connected to the 5G core via the satellite link and exchanged traffic. Image credit: Eutelsat Eutelsat Group, MediaTek Inc., and Airbus Defence and Space have reportedly conducted the worlds first trial of 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) technology using the Eutelsat OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation. This paves the way for widespread adoption of the 5G NTN standard, ensuring seamless interoperability between satellite and terrestrial networks, reducing costs and expanding satellite broadband access for 5G-enabled devices worldwide. The trial leveraged Eutelsat OneWeb satellites, along with MediaTeks NR NTN test chipset and gNB technology provided by ITRI, in alignment with the 3GPP Release 17 specifications. Equipment from Sharp and Rhode & Schwarz supported the tests, while the Airbus-built LEO satellites featured Ku-band service links and Ka-band feeder links, implementing the 'Earth-moving beams' concept. During testing, a 5G user terminal successfully connected to the 5G core via the satellite link, demonstrating seamless data exchange. The integration of 5G standards across the mobile industry will allow satellite constellations to complement terrestrial networks naturally, enabling global connectivity at scale. This advancement is expected to open new opportunities across sectors, including smartphones, automotive applications, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Arlen Kassighian, Chief Engineering Officer at Eutelsat Group, said: 'These trials show the commitment of Eutelsat Group in developing and adopting new technologies, in order to provide the best possible services to our customers, in collaboration with trusted partners. 5G NTN will be a key feature of the IRIS2 constellation, and Eutelsat is at the forefront of this innovation and an active member of the ecosystem. We are proud to be the first satellite operator to demonstrate the 5G air interface working on a commercial fleet in Ku-band and paving the way for new applications in future constellations.' Mingxi Fan, Head of Wireless System and ASIC Engineering at MediaTek, added: 'As a global leader in terrestrial and non-terrestrial connectivity, we continue in our mission to improve lives by enabling innovative technology that connects the world around us, even in areas with little to no cellular coverage. By making real-world connections with LEO satellites in orbit, we are now another step closer to bring the next generation of 3GPP-based NR-NTN satellite wideband connectivity for commercial use.' Elodie Viau, Head of Space Systems Engineering at Airbus, stated: 'Demonstrating successful 5G NTN satellite connectivity using the Airbus-built OneWeb satellites not only proves the flexibility and innovative design of the satellites but opens the prospect of true global satellite broadband connectivity for 5G devices. As a pioneer in space connectivity, we are actively contributing to the development of 5G NTN, and we look forward to the next stage of further integrating satellites in our everyday lives.'
