The European robotic arm for the international space station

摘要

In March 1996 ESA signed a contract with Fokker Space on the full scale development of theEuropean Robotic Arm (ERA). ERA is a co-operative development with the Russian Space Agencyand will help to assemble and service the Russian Segment of the International Space Station. Thispaper describes the design of the ERA, the way it is operated and controlled, its developmentphilosophy and status, its operational role over the lifetime of the Russian Segment and the crewtraining concept.