. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Astronauts, robots and the history of fixing and building things in space
by Vanessa Lloyd for GSFC News
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Apr 24, 2020

Skylab with it sun shield.

A 30th birthday is a big milestone for anyone, and a spacecraft is no exception. Tomorrow, the Hubble Space Telescope celebrates its 30th year in space, but it didn't get to this point without having to overcome its fair share of challenges. Over the years, it has not only been fixed, but continuously upgraded to make it the discovery-producing machine that it is today. Servicing (refueling, fixing and upgrading) spacecraft helps make spaceflight more sustainable, affordable and resilient. In honor of Hubble's exciting milestone, here's a look back at how human and robotic satellite servicing became a reality and a glimpse at where we're headed.

Where We've Been

Skylab Repair
Things don't always go as planned in space. In 1973, Skylab, the first space station, experienced a problem during launch. While making its way to orbit, Skylab lost a portion of external shielding, which would make the temperatures aboard the station uninhabitable for the planned three-person crew. Necessity is the mother of invention, and NASA designed, manufactured and tested a heat shield in only a few days. The crew brought the parasol-like heat shield with them and deployed it, saving Skylab and the opportunity for Americans to live in space for the first time. With Skylab, in-space servicing was born.

Solar Maximum Mission Repair
After Skylab came the Solar Maximum Mission, or SolarMax, repair. The spacecraft, which was designed to investigate solar flares and other phenomena, encountered an attitude control issue that caused a loss of stability in 1980. Yet again, NASA innovated a solution. This time, NASA engineers had the mission's modular design working in their favor.

Unlike Skylab, SolarMax's parts were designed to be easily replaced and upgraded, like how a LEGO fits into another LEGO. In 1984, astronauts on space shuttle mission STS-41C were able to successfully remove and replace the faulty attitude control system module in orbit, supporting the case for modular design and laying the groundwork for future satellite servicing missions.

Hubble Servicing Missions
Satellite servicing turned what could have been a massive problem for NASA into a resounding success story. Soon after launch, NASA discovered Hubble's primary mirror had a defect that made its images blurry. Thanks to corrective optics installed on the first Hubble repair mission, our now-iconic observatory became a much clearer window into space.

Between 1993 and 2009, astronauts not only fixed Hubble, but installed a series of ever more capable scientific instruments reflecting the evolution of technology on Earth. With the help of the five crewed servicing missions, Hubble has been the most productive science apparatus in human history - one that continues to unveil mysteries of the universe, 30 years after it launched to space.

Where We Are

Robotic Refueling Missions 1 and 2
Time and again, the ability to repair and upgrade satellites has helped NASA overcome unforeseen problems. But there's another piece to the puzzle to consider: refueling spacecraft to extend mission lifespans. Robotic refueling - having robots rather than astronauts service satellites in space - could usher in a new class of sustainable missions. Robots can perform routine tasks efficiently and safely, in distant locations humans may not be able to reach.

To test and advance refueling technologies, NASA launched Robotic Refueling Missions 1 and 2 in 2011 and 2014, respectively. The two successful proof-of-concept missions practiced cutting wire, removing caps and more from outside of the International Space Station, demonstrating tools and techniques necessary for in-space refueling.

Robotic Refueling Mission 3
With the Robotic Refueling Mission 3 (RRM3), NASA is demonstrating the technologies needed to transfer cryogenic fuels, which could be critical for helping spacecraft journey farther into our solar system. The ability to store and replenish cryogenic fluid means a spacecraft could be refueled at stops along the way for a long-duration journey, instead of having to launch with all of its fuel upfront. RRM3 launched to the International Space Station in December 2018, and successfully stored cryogenic fluid without any fluid loss for four months.

Storing cryogens in space can be difficult because their extremely low boiling points cause them to boil off over time if the temperature cannot be maintained. RRM3's four-month storage of 42 liters (more than 11 gallons) of liquid methane represents the longest-ever storage of such a large amount of cryogenic fluid in space with zero boil off. In addition to this storage, RRM3 recently demonstrated operations of its three primary robotic tools.

Mission Extension Vehicle
With technology demonstration missions, NASA is getting ready for the next big step: a spacecraft designed to refuel satellites. NASA partnered with Northrop Grumman to provide technical assistance for its recently launched Mission Extension Vehicle, or MEV, to extend the life of an Intelsat communications satellite. The spacecraft, which launched in October 2019 and successfully rendezvoused with its client satellite just a few short months ago, acts as a jet pack or tow truck for the satellite.

When docked to its client satellite, the fuel-carrying spacecraft provides attitude control to maintain orbital position and maneuvering. Unlike Hubble, which was designed to be serviced, Intelsat was, like the vast majority of other satellites, designed to live its life in space alone.

Where We're Going

On-Orbit Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM)
Attaching one spacecraft to another for thrust and maneuvering, acting like an external booster, is one way to extend a spacecraft's lifetime. Another approach would be to directly refuel a spacecraft. NASA is advancing the technologies needed for a robotic mission that can do just that, as well as provide repairs and upgrades to allow for flexibility and cost-effective operations.

OSAM-1 (formerly known as Restore-L) is developing a suite of technologies that could act as a full-service mechanic and mobile refueling station for satellites. OSAM-1 will blend various technologies practiced by previous missions, including dexterous robotic arms, specialized tools and more. The capabilities will establish the basis for in-space robotic repairs and upgrades, developing the ability to make a satellite better than it was before.

NASA has previously demonstrated assembly in space by separately launching components of the International Space Station and attaching them over the years to construct the orbiting laboratory we know today where for almost 20 years, humans have lived and worked continuously, advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies, making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. That assembly process required astronauts conducting spacewalks to assemble and maintain the station. Fully robotic assembly is the next piece of the assembly puzzle.

The same robotic technologies that would allow a servicer spacecraft to catch up to and grasp a satellite, operate a suite of specialized tools to perform precision tasks and finally refuel a satellite, could also be used to connect smaller parts in space to assemble a structure much larger than a single rocket can loft. To this end, NASA and Maxar Technologies will assemble a large antenna via the Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER), which is a part of the OSAM-1 mission. SPIDER will also demonstrate autonomous in-space manufacturing, creating a 30-foot long boom with onboard materials.

OSAM-1 is one of multiple planned NASA technology demonstration missions to bring key robotic technologies to operational status. OSAM-2 (formerly known as Archinaut One) will be another demonstration, a NASA partnership with Made In Space, Inc., and will use additive manufacturing to build large-scale structures in space.

Being able to launch the components of a large, deep-space telescope separately and assemble them in space can break the current constraint of telescopes needing to be small enough to fit on a single launch vehicle. Technologies demonstrated by OSAM are laying the groundwork for in-space assembled observatories to peer deeper into our universe and possibly find life beyond Earth.

From its beginnings with Skylab, to robotic refueling demonstrations on the International Space Station, in-space servicing, assembly and manufacturing continues to evolve. Hubble's immense success and 30th anniversary are a testament to what we can accomplish with the help of satellite servicing.

Recent and upcoming demonstrations challenge the notion that a satellite's lifespan is finite, even one that was not designed to be refueled or repaired. Once matured and operational, this capability promises to usher in a new era of spaceflight and make what was once thought to be impossible, a reality.

+ Video: Operation Sequence for OSAM-1 Refueling


Related Links
Robotics at NASA
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TECH SPACE
Intelsat 901 Satellite Returns to Service Using Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle
Dulles VA (SPX) Apr 20, 2020
Intelsat announced Friday that Intelsat 901 has returned to service following the successful docking with the first Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1) from Northrop Grumman Corporation and the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, SpaceLogistics LLC, on February 25 - the first time that two commercial spacecraft docked in geostationary orbit. Since the February rendezvous, MEV-1 has assumed navigation of the combined spacecraft stack reducing its inclination by 1.6 degrees and relocating IS-901 to its ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Russian cargo capsule docks with ISS

Getting Down to Earth with CAVES in Space

CASIS welcomes new NASA ISS National Lab program executive

Russian 'Victory Rocket' cargo flight docks at ISS

TECH SPACE
US Military not sure if Iran's launch of 'military' satellite was successful

Japanese astronaut prepares for flight aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon

Dream Chaser spaceplane set to get wings

Can high-power microwaves reduce the launch cost of space-bound rockets?

TECH SPACE
Promising signs for Perseverance rover in its quest for past Martian life

Nanocardboard flyers could serve as martian atmospheric probes

Surface Hot Springs May Have Existed on Ancient Mars

Mars 2020 Perseverance rover gets balanced

TECH SPACE
China's first Mars exploration mission named Tianwen-1

Parachutes guide China's rocket debris safely to earth

China to launch IoT communications satellites named after Wuhan

China's experimental manned spaceship undergoes tests

TECH SPACE
Elon Musk's SpaceX launches 60 Starlink satellites from Florida

Momentus selected as launch provider for Swarm

SpaceX plans Wednesday Starlink satellite launch from Florida

US wants to mine resources in space, but is it legal?

TECH SPACE
Astronauts, robots and the history of fixing and building things in space

Intelsat 901 Satellite Returns to Service Using Northrop Grumman's Mission Extension Vehicle

New Army tech may turn low-cost printers into high-tech producers

Utilizing the impact resistance of the world's hardest concrete for disaster prevention

TECH SPACE
ASU scientists lead study of galaxy's 'water worlds'

Yale's EXPRES looks to the skies of a scorching, distant planet

Researchers use 'hot Jupiter' data to mine exoplanet chemistry

Scientists find microbes eating ethane spewing from deep-sea vents

TECH SPACE
Jupiter probe JUICE: Final integration in full swing

The birth of a "Snowman" at the edge of the Solar System

New Horizons pushing the frontier ever deeper into the Kuiper Belt

Mysteries of Uranus' oddities explained by Japanese astronomers









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.