OLOS: A Precursor of Effective and Low-Cost On-Orbit Servicing
- Paper number
IAC-08.B4.6.B10
- Author
Dr. Massimiliano Pastena, Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A., Italy
- Coauthor
Mr. Antonio Fortunato, Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A., Italy
- Coauthor
Mr. Vilfrido Lo Rizzo, Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A., Italy
- Coauthor
Dr. Claudio Galeazzi, Italian Space Agency (ASI), Italy
- Year
2008
- Abstract
On-orbit servicing has always been an important task for the purpose of improving effectiveness and lifetime of spacecrafts. Many on-orbit servicing missions have been flown over the years: the most impressive examples are the Space Shuttle servicing the Hubble Space Telescope and the Russian Progress cargo freighters resupplying and boosting MIR and ISS. These massive spacecrafts carrying out extremely expensive missions were the only viable option for on-orbit servicing in the past. In recent years, technological improvements as well as innovative design, development and qualification approaches made possible to think of on-orbit servicing as a potentially profitable endeavor carried out on a commercial basis with small and low-cost platforms. A widespread interest involved the all space sector leading to mission concepts like Orbital Express and Smart-OLEV. A meaningful contribution to this international effort is proposed by Carlo Gavazzi Space through the OLOS mission. Its main objective is to validate scientific and technological concepts enabling future on-orbit servicing missions. A feasibility study for the OLOS mission is currently carried out under a contract of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) by Carlo Gavazzi Space with the collaboration of Italian industries members of the ANTARES Consortium as well as relevant Italian universities. This contract refers to a competition among six different missions: at the end of Phase A only three will be selected and receive funding for BCDEF phases by the Italian Space Agency. The OLOS spacecraft is a 12 Kg nano-satellite characterized by innovative highly miniaturized hardware that will be specifically developed by Carlo Gavazzi Space and its subcontractors: magnetic bearing momentum wheel, micro-magnetic torquer, micro-fiber optic gyroscope, etc. The payload is a high performance stereocamera aimed at real-time relative navigation through optical metrology techniques. The OLOS nano-satellite is supposed to be launched on-board a Carlo Gavazzi Space commercial platform and, once on orbit, it will carry out its operations in two phases. The first three years will be devoted to a long duration hardware flight qualification. After this commissioning period, the satellite will be detached from its mother platform and will use its stereocamera to guide formation flying maneuvers. In this paper a general, system-level description of the OLOS mission is given with specific focus on high accuracy relative navigation through optical metrology and miniaturization of attitude determination and control equipments.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-08.B4.6.B10.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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