Servicing Spacecraft From the Space Station

Abstract

This paper presents the currently envisioned role of the Space Station relative to servicing both at and distant from the Station. Once operational (1990+), the Station will substantially benefit from the experience gained via the Orbiter’s servicing role, i.e., during the next 5 to 6 years. It is anticipated that there will be a complimentary role for both the Orbiter and the Station for varying servicing functions. Focus of this paper will be on the Station servicing activities and on orbital mechanics, which play a pivotal cornerstone in the accomplishment of the servicing mission. Both the Teleoperator Retrieval System and Orbital Maneuvering System are key elements to servicing functions, e.g., spacecraft retrieval, capture, and/or on-site servicing. Servicing technology is available today and spacecraft are already being designed for that purpose. Accordingly, an extension of the Orbiter’s servicing capability to the Station will be a natural and evolutionary process well within the present state-of-the-art.