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3mo ago

Dual-Arm Robots Complete Autonomous Assembly of Solar Satellite Truss

The UKAEA-Space Solar team’s May demonstration at Culham Campus validates robotic assembly techniques for modular solar satellites designed to harvest solar power from orbit to beam clean electricity to Earth.

AlbaTRUSS Single Transporter at UKAEA's Culham Campus - Image Credit: Space Solar
image: ©iLexx iStock

Overview

  • AlbaTRUSS achieved autonomous assembly of a structural longeron by dual-arm robots during May 2025 tests at UKAEA’s Culham Campus, marking a key proof of concept for in-space construction.
  • The robotic manipulators operated without human intervention and demonstrated resilience to vacuum and radiation conditions expected in orbit.
  • Space Solar plans to launch a 30-megawatt orbital demonstrator by 2029 with full gigawatt-scale solar power satellites targeted for the early 2030s.
  • Space-based platforms promise uninterrupted 24/7 energy by capturing constant sunlight in orbit and transmitting power via microwave beams to ground receivers.
  • The project leverages fusion energy research expertise in remote-operated systems to accelerate development of large-scale in-space assembly technologies.