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After an exciting trainee period in technical product design at HEGGEMANN Pascal Sosnowski successfully completed his assignment to develop & construct an assembly system for iBlocks, delivering a significant contribution to novel and unique fabrication concepts for flexible modular space exploration systems – Made in Germany.

The iBOSS Project (Intelligent Building Blocks for On-Orbit Satellite Servicing and Assembly) is a collaborative programme financed through the Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) and spearheaded by renowned Research & Development institutes including TU Berlin, RWTH Aachen and other parties. The objective of iBoss is the long term development of a LEGO based kit system which will allow quick and flexible delivery of new space exploration systems, e.g. satellites.

In this context HEGGEMANN was able to offer an exciting topic for Pascal Sonowksi’s graduate thesis as part of a collaboration between the Institute for Strukturmechanik und Leichtbau at the RWTH Aachen and HEGGEMANN. During assembly various modular segments with a weight of up to 40 kg must be carefully configured to allow easy access to every manway and assembly opening. The skid that is now being used to assemble the iBoss cubes satisfies all predetermined characteristics of functionality, accesssibility, ergonomy and safety.

Pascal was delighted that such innovative space exploration projects can be part of his secondary education in collaboration with highly reputed research institutes. „To work today on projects for tomorrow“ reflects HEGGEMANN’s corporate culture, also benefitting young interns. The technology solution provider from Bueren strongly encourages that many more young and technically motivated individuals take the opportunity to participate in such educational programs to start a rewarding career in the region. This is the leading way to actively reverse the trend of increasing „brain drain“ from local regions with predominantly rural character to urban metropolies.