European Robotic Arm moves for first time

The European Robotic Arm (ERA) successfully made its first moves in orbit during the 250 spacewalk to upgrade the International Space Station.

Two spacewalkers worked outside the orbiting lab for 7 hours and 42 minutes on 28 April 2022. Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev removed thermal blankets and then unlocked the robotic arm.

The duo released the launch locks that held the arm in its folded configuration for the journey to space last year. Inside the Space Station, crewmate Sergey Korsakov monitored the first commanded movements of the robotic arm.
One of the robotic arm’s end effectors moved for the first time shortly after 20:00 CEST (18:00 GMT). The European Robotic Arm translated to another base point in a “walkoff” manoeuvre.

The robotic arm brings new ways of operating automated machines to the orbital complex. ERA has the ability to perform many tasks automatically or semi-automatically, can be directed either from inside or outside the Station, and it can be controlled in real time or preprogrammed.

The International Space Station already has two robotic arms – Canadian and Japanese robots play a crucial role in berthing spacecraft and transferring payloads and astronauts.
ERA is the first robot capable of ‘walking’ around the Russian parts of the orbital complex. It can handle components up to 8000 kg with 5 mm precision, and it will transport astronauts from one working site to another.
Additional spacewalks are planned to continue outfitting the European Robotic Arm.

More information about the European Robotic Arm.