In-Orbit Servicing: A Game Changer for Space Missions
infrastructure such as spacecraft, satellites and space stations. Servicing can include refuelling fuel tanks, repairing damaged systems, replacing/upgrading systems and boosting orbits.
Figure 1 SM1 Astronaut Kathryn Thornton during an EVA with Hubble in the background: NASA
In orbit servicing has been carried out in the past for example using the Space Shuttle to replace a mirror on the Hubble space telescope due to a flaw in the mirror in 1993 (Figure 1). However, some people might not know there were five servicing missions of the Hubble Space telescope carrying out repairs, maintenance and upgrades (1).
While design errors should be avoided when developing and launching systems into space, mistakes are going to happen from time to time. The worst time to find out a flaw in your satellite is when it is in orbit and it can’t perform its mission to the required performance or at all. Being able to have the ability to replace or repair the satellite while in orbit can give companies and organisations to fix their mistakes and recover a mission when it would have just be deemed a failure and another satellite is launched. While smaller satellites like pocketqubes and cubesats aren’t relatively expensive compared to larger ones could possibly allow failures, a scrapped small sat or GEO satellite could potentially put a company out of business. Since space is becoming more accessible with smaller companies and organisations being able to launch hardware into orbit, in orbit servicing could be a life saver in both mission and their livelihoods. This can help space startups be less risky propositions for investors if missions can be recovered. This shouldn’t excuse or give designers leeway to be reckless and cut corners to make inferior products. By following good design principles and procedures mistakes should be kept to a minimum.
I could see in orbit servicing make in orbit demonstrator (IOD) missions have longer durations. For example you could have a satellite that acts as a test bed for new technologies. As one IOD mission is approaching the end you could have a servicing satellite to replace the test specimen with a new prototype for the test satellite to carry out a brand new IOD mission.
We could reduce the amount of satellites needed to launch to replace old, broken and failed missions by refuelling, replacing parts and repairing broken systems. This would allow companies to extend the lifespan of their satellites and missions if required. Being able to replace satellite components in situ could potentially allow companies and organisations to upgrade the performance of their satellites which could lead to better performance or allow them to pivot to different missions. This is also particularly useful if a satellite is being rented out by a third party and once the agreement has expired or been terminated it could be rented out to new customers which would make the satellite more profitable for the owner.
National security would benefit from in orbit servicing as spy satellites could be refuelled and placed into new orbits to make them temporarily harder to track due to their new flight path.
In orbit servicing has been referenced a lot in my in orbit manufacturing and in orbit recycling articles because if you combine all three you could maximise their potential as they all enable each other.
In orbit servicing is a very lucrative market with it valued in at $2.2B in 2022 (2) and it’s expected to grow to $5.1B in 2030 (3). The industry could lead to new missions, develop new useful technologies, spin-offs, applications, help make space a less risky proposition and more sustainable.
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