At the European Space Agency (ESA) laboratory in the Netherlands, a swarm of robots has been tested for its ability to accompany rotating space debris. The system uses collective control to coordinate autonomous units that can surround and track an uncontrolled, spinning object. The experiment was conducted by the STAR-BOTS team from the University of Bologna in Italy, which is developing technologies for autonomous interaction between small spacecraft, reports new-science.ru.
For the tests, the researchers combined physical robotic platforms with virtual objects within a unified software environment. Three physical units were placed on the testbed, while three others existed as computer-simulated models. This approach allowed for the study of how an entire group of autonomous devices interacts, while still maintaining real-time feedback from actual hardware.
To simulate the conditions of free-floating motion in orbit, the team used air-bearing platforms, which create a gap just a few micrometers thick between the base of the unit and the floor surface.
The primary technical challenge, as noted, is tracking an object that cannot communicate with the robots and is unable to stabilize its own orientation. This is typical of defunct satellites and large pieces of space debris, which may tumble or spin uncontrollably.
The developers are testing whether multiple autonomous units can coordinate their movements to maintain a specific configuration around such a target. While quantitative results—such as tracking accuracy and system stability under various target motion scenarios—have not yet been published, such technologies could eventually be used for active space debris removal. In this scenario, specialized spacecraft would approach a malfunctioning satellite, capture it, and maneuver it onto a deorbit trajectory.
The issue of space debris is becoming an increasingly pressing concern with each passing year. According to various estimates, there is currently more than seven thousand tons of space debris in Earth’s orbits. That is a total mass of over seven thousand tons—equivalent to the weight of a fully loaded freight train consisting of more than 70 railcars!
By various accounts, there are over a million space objects measuring one centimeter or larger orbiting above our heads. By 2030, that number is expected to increase by at least 50 percent. This poses a genuine threat to guaranteed access to space, including the deployment and proper operation of spacecraft in orbit.
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