16th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation

Space Robotic has over the two last years become more topical than ever before. 

ASTRA is a forum where the state of the art developments of the European Space Automation and Robotics (A&R) community are presented and discussed. 

A unique characteristic of ASTRA is that it brings together the European Agencies Industry and Academia operating in the field of Space Robotics, giving visibility to the whole spectrum of research and development activities in the field.  

Participants will have the opportunity to get an up-to-date picture of:

• Currently envisaged space missions and application scenarios where A&R could play a major role,
• The A&R technology needs which can be derived from these application scenarios,
• The current status of European and international research and development programmes in the field of space A&R, and
• New technology trends for space A&R.

ASTRA will mainly provide an overview of technologies/missions which are available or under development in the ESA member states or under international collaborations, but also encourages other international contributions whenever possible. 

Private/commerical space appplications of space robotics are announced/happening in ever increasing numbers. This completments the institutional activities of planetary robotics, which have a consolidated line-up of missions progressing towards launch (ExoMars, SFR, European Lunar rover system), and those from orbital robotics that have a high level of activities with developments at EC (PERASPERA in-orbit demo) and ESA (CLEARSPACE-1).