Preserving space and securing the long-term future of space infrastructures is today a key issue. You’ve no doubt already heard about on-orbit servicing with spacecraft capable of performing a wide range of robotic tasks, including repairs or extending the service life of satellites through refueling, and de-orbiting of space debris. On-orbit servicing is one of the new avenues being explored as a way of making space more sustainable and eco-friendly. While it’s true that extending a satellite’s life will simply add to the existing population of space debris further down the line, the lack of standardized interconnections could also hinder progress toward universal connectivity. This is where standard, multi-functional interconnections come into the picture as an effective way of accomplishing missions and connecting space modules, which is precisely the goal of the European Commission’s Space USB project, coordinated by Thales Alenia Space.

Underway since January this year, the Space USB project aims to achieve a flexible and universal interface, much like what USB drives have done for IT, only this time for connecting and assembling in orbit. The project intends to meet the growing need for physical interoperability between space systems, on the basis of existing interconnection systems.

Interconnection systems can be used for robotic orbital rendezvous missions, as illustrated by the European Commission’s EROSS IOD project (European Robotic Orbital Support Services In-Orbit Demonstration), which Thales Alenia Space is also coordinating. Looking further ahead, they also hold the prospect of enabling in-orbit assembly operations, such as delivery of sub-elements or even enhancing satellite performance with the addition of new modules. In this way, the advent of compatible interconnection systems will make space more sustainable.

EROSS IOD ©Thales Alenia Space

With its five partners SENER AE (Spain), iBOSS (Germany), DFKI GMBH (Germany), IEIC (France) and SPACE Applications (Belgium), Thales Alenia Space is working to establish a standard defining interconnection systems with mechanical, electrical and data interfaces, to enable in-orbit docking, data exchange, power transfer and interaction between modules.

The consortium’s first goal is to establish a set of rules and specifications in order to produce a European interconnection system standard that will enable manufacturers to make future devices technically compatible. One of the technical challenges here is to identify and define the key requirements of new space interconnection standards, such as compactness, docking geometry, alignment tolerances, load transfer and so on, while leveraging existing solutions.

The second goal is to define a concept encompassing the new standards. This will mean using existing engineering solutions and identifying necessary evolutions to achieve interconnection system compatibility and move toward a universal interface.

The third and last goal of the study is to leverage industrial collaboration within the consortium that includes the three main European players in interconnection systems, to lend a European dimension to the standard. Ensuing synergies should form a foundation for a technology-based agreement. The result of this collaboration will open up this market to new industry players, driving innovation and competitiveness.

ROBY ©Thales Alenia Space

Early in 2025, the project teams will be working on a model aimed at demonstrating the proposed solution. Using Thales Alenia Space’s ROBY robotic testbed, modeled interfaces will be tested through simulated in-space rendezvous to verify docking and continuity between modules.

Delivery of the standard and test results from the Space USB project are expected at the end of 2025.

To find out more about the Space USB project : Home - SpaceUSB