1 of 8

SATELLITE SERVICING STATION (SSS)

  • BACKGROUND
  • OBJECTIVE
  • ASSEMBLY
  • CONFIGURATION
  • COVERAGE
  • OPERATIONS

A USC SPACE ARCHITECTURE CONCEPT

Pete Kurzhals

peter.r.kurzhals@boeing.com

December 17, 2002

SSS

USC

1

2 of 8

OBJECTIVE

  • Reboost
  • Refuel
  • Repair
  • Refurbish
  • Provide an unmanned ISS-Companion-Free flyer platform capable of storing, maintaining and outfitting multiple SSVs

  • Provide the resources (fuel, ORUs, etc.) needed for satellite servicing
  • Provide the capability for both man-tended and autonomous platform operation

SSS

USC

2

3 of 8

BACKGROUND

  • Almost a trillion dollars will be spent worldwide on development, launch and operations of earth satellites over the next 30 years1
  • A significant percentage of these satellites will be lost prematurely
    • ~ 5% will fail to reach their operational orbit2
    • ~ 30% will experience critical component failures � or require fuel and reactant replenishment2
  • An orbital depot, such as the satellite servicing station (SSS), coupled with one or two reusable Satellite Servicing Vehicles (SSVs) constitutes the optimal servicing architecture3

  • Kurzhals, Peter R.: Modular Spacecraft Missions. USC mid-term Space Architecture Project, October 2002.
  • SIA/Futron: Satellite Industry Indicators Survey, 2001.
  • Reynerson, Charles M.: Spacecraft Servicing—First Order Model for Feasibility and Cost Effectiveness, November 2001.

SSS

USC

3

4 of 8

ASSEMBLY

  • SSS will be launched via the Space Shuttle
  • Prepackaged elements will be used to minimize assembly requirements in orbit
    • Basic platform and subsystems
    • Solar panel arrays
    • S-Band antenna
    • Robotic arm
  • Initial assembly will utilize the Shuttle robotic arm and two EVAs
  • Sea Launch will be used to deliver servicing propellants and ORUs which will be installed using the SSS robotic arm and ISS EVAs

SSS

USC

4

5 of 8

CONFIGURATION CONCEPT

  • 25,000 LBS OUTFITTED
  • 25-YR LIFE
  • 20’ X 10’ X 6’ PLATFORM
  • FUEL AND ORU STORAGE
  • 10KW PV ARRAY
  • 3-SEGMENT ARM WITH DEXTROUS MANIPULATOR
  • CMG CONTROL SYSTEMS PLUS HYDRAZINE THRUSTERS
  • S-BAND�COMMUNICATIONS

DOCKING

PORT

SSS

USC

5

6 of 8

COVERAGE

  • Most effective deployment of SSS after assembly and outfitting can be obtained by pre-positioning it in the orbital plane of the constellation to be serviced via Hohman transfer
  • Significant transfer times (100-500 days) may be required for this maneuver depending on the target orbit plane
  • Some satellites could, however, be serviced directly from ISS
    • ORBCOM
    • GEMNET
    • GLOBAL STAR
    • AMSC
  • ICO
  • STARSYS
  • USA
  • ODYSSEY

SSS

USC

6

7 of 8

OPERATIONS

  • SSS will use operational Orbital Express vehicles (i.e. ASTRO) to perform its satellite servicing functions4
  • Most of these will rely on autonomous pre-programmed functions
    • Orbital transfer and rendezvous
    • Satellite capture/docking
    • Satellite reboost (where required)
    • Satellite refueling
    • ORU replacement and validation
  • Ground-based teleoperations will be used to back up and augment the autonomous operations

4. DARPA: Orbital Express, a Comprehensive Architecture for the 21st Century, February 2002.

SSS

USC

7

8 of 8

SERVICING VEHICLE

SSS

USC

8