Reliable capture of free-floating objects is a prerequisite for on-orbit servicing. Without it, operations such as inspection, repair, life extension or relocation of satellites cannot be carried out safely.
PIAP Space's LARIS gripper has been developed to support controlled and predictable capture as part of an integrated robotic servicing system. Within the EROSS SC project, LARIS has been integrated and tested on a robotic system provided by German Aerospace Center (DLR), enabling validation at system level rather than as a standalone component.
Testing the gripper within a complete robotic chain is essential to assess realistic interaction dynamics between the manipulator, the target and the servicing platform. This approach allows capture scenarios to be evaluated in conditions representative of future on-orbit servicing missions.
In addition to this setup, LARIS has undergone testing on other robotic systems, supporting its integration within different system configurations.
This work reflects the role of Horizon Europe projects in supporting the maturation of on-orbit servicing technologies through structured system-level validation. Such steps are essential to consolidate credible and sustainable European capabilities in this domain. Within EROSS SC, LARIS contributes to strengthening Europe’s autonomous, non-dependent robotic servicing technologies.
