GEARS WORKSHOP

This ESA-led technical workshop brings together gear manufacturers, space mechanisms suppliers, and ESA experts to exchange experience on gear technologies used in space mechanisms. The focus is on design, materials, manufacturing, qualification, reliability, current challenges and future technology needs.

The workshop will be structured in two parts:

Morning session The morning will be dedicated to technical presentations from industry, providing an overview of current capabilities, experience, and challenges related to gears for space applications.

Afternoon session The afternoon will consist of moderated workshop discussions organised in chaired breakout groups. The discussions will focus on topics that could benefit from a harmonised approach to the design, procurement, and testing of gears, including for example:

• Recommended scope and content of a Gear Design Justification File (required analyses, assumptions, and inputs)
• Recommendations for gear procurement specifications, including key technical requirements to be addressed when purchasing gears
• Recommendations for qualification of gears
• Additional topics proposed by industry participants
• Identification of needs for future R&D activities.

The workshop is also an opportunity for attendees to network with other space mechanisms professionals and to stay informed of the latest gear technologies developments.

The 2026 edition of the event will be an in-person event held at ESA/ESTEC in the Netherlands.

Please note that due to the nature of the information that will be shared, this event can only be attended by participants from entities registered in an ESA Member State, Associate State or Cooperating State. ESA Member states (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), associated states (Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia) or cooperating states (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Malta).