Exploration and novel space infrastructure concepts from LEO to GEO Programme and Projects
- Paper number
IAC-08.D3.1.2
- Author
Mr. Bernd Sommer, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Germany
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The German space programme focuses on two major topics. One of them is the exploration of our solar system. A moon orbiter surveying and mapping mission will prepare Gemanys contributions to further international mission to the Moon surface, to Mars, the cold planets and their moons or asteroids and comets. The other focus of A&R for space applications will be the unmanned servicing of satellites and the robotic on-orbit assembly and maintenance of large space platforms as carriers of a variety of payloads. The same set of basic technologies and capabilities represent the prerequisites for successful missions in both application areas. Thus the mastering of the related capabilities are high priority tasks to be tackled and accomplished within the coming five to ten years. Standardization and Modularization are major catchwords in this context. The development of a set of basic building blocks and tools will result in high system reliability at reduced risk and costs and thus will promote and foster commercialization of space. Supporting infrastructures consisting of transporters, robotic vehicles, storage facilities etc. will lead to dramatically increased mission flexibility. Future missions will no longer depend on the direct launch of a space asset to its operational orbit or planetary surface. On site assembly and maintenance of the systems will be become a routine. GEO transponder parks, planetary research facilities for astronomy, industrial parks for communication, navigation or earth observation will no longer be science fication. Such scenario allows to get rid of the need to launch massive space crafts. Smaller and in future even reusable launchers can take over and do the job in a more economic way. The paper presents an overview over such potential future scenarios and proposes a roadmap for its development. It further elaborates on building blocks and tools by illustrating their deployment for the assembly, integration, test and maintenace of orbital platforms. And finaly it is going to be completed by an overview of current German space projects in the area of automation and robotics
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)