A study coordinated by the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa has revealed that the vacuum - long considered one of the most hostile environments for mechanical systems - can become a key resource for space robotics, thanks to a new class of electrostatic actuators. The research, published in Nature Communications and led by the Institute of Mechanical Intelligence at Sant’Anna, in collaboration with the University of Trento and the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), opens up new possibilities for designing more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective space robots.
In space missions, traditional electric motors - the “muscles” that enable robots to move - face significant challenges: overheating in the absence of an atmosphere, the need for specialized lubricants, high complexity, and substantial weight. These factors have a major impact on cost, reliability, and performance of robotic systems operating in space.
The study proposes a new class of ultra-light and simple electrostatic actuators that exploit the electrical properties of the vacuum. In doing so, what has historically been one of the main challenges for mechanical systems in space becomes a central feature of the actuators’ operation. “We have identified a solution that demonstrates how the vacuum, long regarded as a critical obstacle for robotics, can instead become an ally in creating lighter, more efficient, and more reliable systems for future missions,” the researchers explain.
The potential applications of this technology are wide-ranging and impactful: robots for in-orbit maintenance and assembly, planetary exploration systems, and movable mechanisms for satellites and space telescopes. In the long term, this approach could also be extended to extreme terrestrial environments, such as the deep ocean or high-risk industrial settings.