Research/ IN-SPACE SERVICING
Toward a Fully Capable In-Space Manufacturing Ecosystem
Matthew B. Obenchain, Alex Trujillo, Jacob I. Rome, Joseph H. Heying, Arianna Villegas, Vinay K. Goyal, Deneen Taylor
OpenAlexSpace Satellite Systems and Control · Space exploration and regulation · Spacecraft Design and TechnologyNTRSSpacecraft Design, Testing and Performance
As technology for in-space refueling and servicing continues to mature, in-space assembly and manufacturing efforts can expand to leverage these new capabilities. This paper expands upon previous work and describes four use cases for a fully capable in-space manufacturing ecosystem. Based on those use cases, enabling technology areas are identified and shortfalls in those technologies are noted for seven key categories. Finally, a survey of options for in-space experiments and demonstrations are presented, showing pathways for technology development in relevant environments.