Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Matthias Reiner is a leading researcher in the field of on-orbit servicing (OOS) and active debris removal (ADR), with a core focus on the nonlinear control of flexible spacecraft and robotic manipulators. His work is pivotal in addressing the critical challenge of space sustainability, developing advanced model-based control systems for complex missions that involve rendezvous, inspection, capture, and deorbiting of defunct satellites. Reiner’s most influential paper, "Nonlinear inverse models for the control of satellites with flexible structures" (14 citations), introduces a novel synthesis approach for nonlinear inverse dynamic models, enabling superior feedforward control and feedback linearization. He is the architect of the RICADOS system, a comprehensive on-board and ground-based solution for teleoperated servicing missions. Through the COMRADE project, he compared H-infinity and nonlinear Lyapunov-based controllers for combined spacecraft-manipulator systems, while his work on the e.Deorbit scenario directly addresses the threat posed by the massive ENVISAT satellite. His latest innovation, the MoRC (Modular Robot Controller), is a high-performance, vendor-agnostic control cabinet based on the Functional Mock-up Interface standard, promising to revolutionize industrial robotics. Reiner’s research is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of autonomous space robotics and debris mitigation.