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Assessment of a SSF Servicing Facility

by Rohan Zaveri, Planetary Sciences Lab, Denver, United States,
Scott Geels, Planetary Sciences Lab, Denver, United States,
Erlinda Kiefel, Planetary Sciences Lab, Denver, United States,
Dan Uhlig, Planetary Sciences Lab, Denver, United States,
Benton Clark, Planetary Sciences Lab, Denver, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space III

Abstract:

Evolution options for a servicing facility at Space Station Freedom (SSF) are currently being studied. While many choices exist, one promising idea is an enclosed facility or hangar which can support a wide variety of applications. These include servicing of Lunar Transfer Vehicles (LTVs), Mars Transfer Vehicles (MTVs), and satellites; storage of payloads, logistics equipment, and tools; and as an element for testing astronaut EVA maneuvers, attaching instruments, and conducting science experiments. At a minimum, the servicing facility should provide micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MM/OD) protection, electrical power, thermal environment leveling, C³ (Command, Control, and Communications), the necessary functions for servicing, and safe access or escape for astronauts. Preliminary analyses indicate that the advantages of having a servicing facility outweigh the potential disadvantages. For reusable lunar transfer systems, significant savings in mass are realized over the life of the vehicle. Also, a platform for robotic servicing using either on-orbit control by astronauts or ground control can be provided by the hangar. Incorporating automation and robotics wisely can significantly reduce EVA or IVA hours needed for performing servicing tasks and vehicle turnaround. Several hangar designs have been considered with variations in volume, mass, robotic complements, location, and attachment method to SSF and are presented in this paper along with the issues and impacts of implementing a servicing facility.

Subject Headings: Space stations | Vehicles | Moon | Automation and robotics | Astronomy | Vehicle impacts | Thermal power

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