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Building the Future:
in‐Space Servicing & Assembly of Large Aperture Space TelescopesNick Siegler (NASA Exoplanet Exploration Program, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology)
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MPIA-JPL Workshop on Technology for Direct
Detection and Characterization of Exoplanets
Caltech, April 12, 2018 © Copyright 2018 California Institute of Technology
Government sponsorship acknowledgedPre-Decisional Information -- For Planning and Discussion Purposes Only
Jet Propulsion LaboratoryCalifornia Institute of Technology
CL#18-2064
CL#18-2064
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In the Search for Life on Distant Planets Bigger is Better
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• Improved sensitivity to faint objects
• Improved angular resolution
• Improved spectral resolution
• Enables time-resolved images to
characterize individual regions of
an exoplanet
• Increased exoplanet yield
ATLAST Study Team (NASA)
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Telescope Size Currently Limited by Deployment Complexity,
Fairing Size, and Lift Capacity
6.5 m JWST
Falcon Heavy (5.2 m fairing) – 9 m telescope
SLS Block I (8 m fairing) – 12 m telescope
SLS Block II (10 m fairing) – 15 m telescope
? – >15 m telescope
Ariane 5 (4.6 m fairing)
NASA
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In-Space Assembly (iSA)
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The Evolvable Space Telescope (NGAS)
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3
12
65
4
3
Polidan et al. 2016
4 m
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Lunar Orbital Platform - Gateway
NASA
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Benefits of Gateway Platform and Orbit
7NASA’s Decade Planning Team (2000)
• Cis-lunar orbit is ideally accessible to Sun-Earth
L2 Δv ~ 10’s of m/s
Low propulsion needs to go back and forth
(EML1 <---> SEL2) for servicing
• Expected to offer both astronaut and tele-
robotics capabilities
• Expected to be equipped with important
infrastructure High-data rate communication, versatile imaging
systems, robotic arms, astronaut support
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Using the Spacecraft Bus as the Assembly Platform
NASA
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Other Spacecraft Assembly Possibilities
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SPIRIT, David Leisawitz (NASA GSFC)
Interferometers
Starshade deployed to block light from central star, allowing orbiting exoplanet to be observed.
Starshades
NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Spacecraft approaching the DSG
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Grapple
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Berthed
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Arm Walk Off to Starshade Spacecraft
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Grab Panel
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Place First Panel
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Second Panel
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Place Second Panel
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Complete Inner Ring
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Begin Second Ring
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Move Second Ring Pedal
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Place Pedal
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Pedals Complete
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Third Ring Tip Move
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Tip Place
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Tips Complete
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Stow Robotic Arm
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Unberth
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Deployed
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Status of Work in this Field: in-Space Assembly
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But no precision assembly activities currently planned.
ISS is the best example of large-scale assembly in space.
NASA CSA
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Optical Testbed & Integration on ISS eXperiment (OpTIIX)
• Intended to demonstrate assembly, alignment, calibration, and operation of future space observatories
• Robotically assembled and operated
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Full deployment of sunshades
6 launch modulesfor assembly
Assembled modules
M1
Fine Steering Tertiary
Coarse Steering Mirror
3 Mirror Anastigmat Telescope(1.45m aperture)
M2
Optical Testbed & Integration on ISS eXperiment (OpTIIX)
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Robotic Assembly of a Telescope: Modular Deployable Structure
Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
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In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly Robotics: Multi-Limbed Robot
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Lee et al. 2016 (Caltech/JPL)
In Space Telescope Assembly RoboticsUnobscured Ritchey-Chretien
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In-Lab Telescope Truss Assembly RoboticsDARPA-funded JPL 3 m telescope assembly demo
See video at https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/technology/in-space-assembly/
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Large Solution Space for In-Space Assembly
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Cis-lunar
station
Free-flying
servicerMobile assembly
robot
Astronaut
support
In-space
manufacturing
Telescope
spacecraft bus
Fixed assembly
robot
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In-Space Servicing (iSS)
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Benefits of iSS
• iSS extends the lifetime of observatories. – Potentially enabling a Great Observatories paradigm (persistent assets)
– Spacecraft could be refueled, subsystems could be replaced or upgraded
– Mirrors could be recoated and decontaminated
– Starshade membrane and edges could be repaired after micrometeoroid damage
• iSS enhances our capability to more rapidly respond to new science
questions through the replacement and upgrade of payload instruments – “HST is a better observatory today than when it first launched”
– Instrument technology is ~ 10-15 yr old by launch (technology lag)
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How will future large observatories be serviced? (1 of 2)
• As Sun-Earth L2 is the likely operational destination for many science
missions, servicing could be performed in situ or in an orbit in the lunar
vicinity.– Earth-Sun L2 cis-lunar has a delta-v of 10’s of m/s
– LEO, GEO are other options but have large delta-v and are outside of their operational
environment
• Servicing observatories at Sun-Earth L2 may be preferred if operations
are relatively simple.– Simplicity – cooperative architecture aided by high levels of modularity
• Re-fueling, swapping out instrument payloads, replacing solar arrays and batteries
– Servicing can be conduced by a free flyer (e.g. DARPA RSGS, Restore-L)
– Due to relatively long latencies operations would be semi-autonomous
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How will future large observatories be serviced? (2 of 2)
• If servicing operations are relatively complex, then the mission can transfer from Sun-
Earth L2 and be serviced at an accessible orbit in the lunar vicinity (e.g. Earth-Moon L1).– Human and robotic support may be both important
– Can leverage existence of an in-space assembly infrastructure (e.g. DSG)
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Thronson and JF&A 2007
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Hubble Space Telescope’s Five Servicing Missions
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j p l . n a s a . g o v
DARPA Orbital Express (2007)
DARPA/Boeing/MDA/Ball Aerospace
Astro
NEXTSat
OEDMS• Multiple autonomous
berthing and docking
maneuvers
In-space firsts:
• Transfer of fuel
• Transfer of a battery
through the use of 3-m
long robotic arm
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j p l . n a s a . g o vDARPA
DARPA Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS)
(SSL)
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NASA GSFC
Restore-L (NASA GSFC)
• Refueling an existing
satellite (Landsat 7)
• Future capability
demonstrations: Observatory repair
Instrument replacement
On-orbit assembly and
manufacturing
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Orbital ATK - Mission Extension Vehicle
50Orbital ATK
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iSSA Workshop at NASA Goddard
November 2017
(iSSA = in-Space Servicing & Assembly)
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Potential cost savings offered through iSSA
• Eliminates engineering design work and testing required to (1) creatively fit large
structures into existing fairings and (2) autonomously deploy – JWST invested a significant effort into designing and testing the telescope’s folded wing design;
even more for the observatory deployment with > 100 single point failures
• Moves architecture away from “every new telescope is a new point design”– Greater commonality with previous system reducing development costs
• Reduces “ruggedization” to survive launch environment
• Reduces need for new and unique ground test facilities
• Reduces need for hardware redundancy
• Leverages existing and less-costly medium-lift launch vehicles
• New instruments can be swapped out without additional observatories
• Leverages investments in human space flight facilities
How does iSSA reduce cost and risk? (1 of 3)
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Potential new challenges may also INCREASE costs
• Would a full-scale, robotically-assembled telescope have to be demonstrated on the
ground to mitigate concerns and risks? And then disassembled?
• Potential additional cost for any astronauts in the loop
• New robotic capabilities will be required as part of iSSA that would not be required in the
autonomous deployment approach.
• Sending multiple modules into space will require new containers and interfaces each
having to undergo environmental testing.
• New Earth-based problems yet unknown in standardization and assembly, as well as
new unknown problems created in space, will likely need to be solved.
How does iSSA reduce cost and risk? (2 of 3)
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Risk reduction opportunities arising from iSSA
• Reducing risk becomes increasingly more important as mission costs
increase.
• Future larger observatories are likely to require more complex
deployment schemes. iSSA can mitigate risk of failure by:– Designing servicing capabilities (robotic and/or human) into the architecture
– Modularizing the design enabling repair and replacement of faulty sections
– Minimizing single-point failures
• iSA does not require next-generation launch vehicles– Several future mission concepts under study rely on the SLS Block II (a potential
programmatic uncertainty)
• Launch failure need not be equivalent to mission failure
How does iSSA reduce cost and risk? (3 of 3)
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Workshop Findings (1 of 2)
1. The cost model for large telescopes is unlikely to change unless there is a paradigm
shift.
2. There is a revolution underway in the SOA of terrestrial robotics– DARPA RSGS and NASA Restore-L are embodiments of this for space demonstrations and have
legacy from the 15+ years of Mars and ISS robotics
3. DARPA RSGS is a game changer
4. The ISS is potentially an ideal testing platform for many iSA technology development
activities, although is planned to be decommissioned mid-next decade
5. The 2010 Decadal made no mention of iSSA– Is this merely an implementation issue? Or is the impact to science a critical issue?
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Workshop Findings (2 of 2)
6. The "serviceability" of future telescopes is ambiguous as there are no currently
available servicers – Consideration ought to be given on how to leverage existing servicer work (RSGS, Restore-L)
including the opportunities enabled by a DSG
7. Industry has very strong interest in iSSA and can play an important role
8. Large future space observatory concepts depend on availability of SLS Block II– Some STDTs are relying on it
9. A completed NASA Gateway infrastructure potentially offers a unique facility in
which SMD may be able to leverage the iSSA of future large telescopes.
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NEW: iSA Telescope Assembly Study
• Study funded by NASA’s Astrophysics Division to answer the question:
“When is it worth assembling space telescopes in space rather than
building them on the Earth and deploying them from rockets?”
• Deliverable is a Whitepaper to the 2020 Decadal Survey
• Trade Study begins at a Workshop at JPL (June 5-7) to design and
architect a large-aperture telescope that can be assembled in space
(invitation only).
• Followed by another Workshop to identify the assembly approach,
platform, orbit, and launch vehicles.
• Independent cost assessment 57
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iSSA Website
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/technology/in-space-assembly
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j p l . n a s a . g o v
Acknowledgment
Part of this work was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
© Copyright 2018 California Institute of Technology; Government sponsorship acknowledged
Title illustration credit: Nick Siegler (JPL/Caltech), NASA ATLAST team, Gateway adapted from Boeing, Nancy Kiang (NASA GISS), Lizbeth Barrios de la Torre (JPL/Caltech)