Publikation
Improving Flexibility in Modular Space Robots: An Adapter to Connect a Research-Related Electromechanical Interface with a Commercial One
Jonas Benz; Hilmi Dogu Kücüker; Wiebke Brinkmann; Mehmed Yüksel; Utku Akinci; Jonas Eisenmenger
In: Engineering Proceedings, Vol. 133, No. 1, Pages 1-9, MDPI, 5/2026.
Zusammenfassung
With the increasing number of space research projects, systems that can be flexibly adapted to the respective orbital and planetary mission requirements and modified retrospectively as needed are becoming increasingly interesting. One application for this is modular robot systems that can be combined or exchanged as needed via electromechanical interfaces without having to replace the entire system. Due to current activities in the EU, such as the Space USB project, the trend is going towards the development of a universal standard interface (USI) that, among other things, has functions for mechanical coupling and the transmission of electrical energy and data. To be able to couple different USIs with each other, one possible solution will be the use of an adapter. This paper presents such an adapter, as well as tests that have been carried out and the lessons learned from them.