In-space refueling demonstration projects Space Infrastructure Servicing

1 in-space refueling demonstration projects

1.1 mda

1.1.1 technical details
1.1.2 post-demonstration mission extension


1.2 technology maturation nasa

in-space refueling demonstration projects
mda

as of march 2011, mda had secured first major customer initial demonstration project. intelsat entered preliminary agreement purchase one-half of 2,000 kilograms (4,400 lb) propellant payload mda spacecraft carry geostationary orbit. such purchase projected add somewhere between 2 , 4 years of additional service life 5 intelsat satellites, assuming 200 kg of fuel delivered each commsat.

sis envisioned carry toolkit designed open of approximately 40 types of fueling systems aboard satellites in geostationary orbit.

technical details

the servicing plan initial satellite on demonstration mission was:

intelsat [would] select 1 of satellites nearing retirement moved standard graveyard orbit 200 300 kilometers above geostationary arc 36,000 kilometers on equator.
mda [was to] launch sis servicer, [would] rendezvous , dock intelsat satellite, [and attach itself] ring around satellite’s apogee-boost motor.
controlled ground station, sis robotic arm [was to] reach through nozzle of apogee motor find , unscrew satellite’s fuel cap.
sis vehicle [would then] reclose fuel cap after delivering agreed amount of propellant , head next mission.

post-demonstration mission extension

in addition refueling , servicing geostationary comm sats fuel launched vehicle, sis vehicle being designed have ability orbitally maneuver rendezvous replacement fuel canister after deploying 2000 kg of fuel in first load, enabling further refueling of additional satellites after initial multi-satellite servicing mission complete.

technology maturation nasa

mda s commercial interest in robotic in-space refueling got boost in 2013 when nasa completed demonstration mission doing robotic refueling of satellite hardware had never been designed refuel. in january 2013, extensive series of robotically-actuated propellant transfer experiments on exposed facility platform of international space station (iss) completed nasa robotic refueling mission (rrm). nasa robotic refueling mission launched in 2011

the set of experiments included number of propellant valves, nozzles , seals similar used on wide variety commercial , government satellites, plus series of 4 prototype tools attached distal end of space station robotic arm. each tool prototype of device used future satellite servicing missions refuel spacecraft in orbit. rrm first in-space refueling demonstration using platform , fuel valve representative of existing satellites, never designed refueling.