THINKORBITAL INC. — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AF21S-TCSO1

Description

There is a need for servicing of space assets in both the defense and commercial sectors. ThinkOrbital and its partners, Redwire Space and Arizona State University, will investigate the feasibility of on-orbit servicing and assembly (OSA) to extend defense related space missions using the Orb2 space-platform, being developed by ThinkOrbital for a growing commercial market.   ThinkOrbital’s Orb2 is a versatile single launch space platform capable of self-assembling on-orbit via an integral robotic arm and electron-beam welding. The Orb2 has various configurations and sizes and is capable of being pressurized for potential crewed operation. The proposed solution will use a modified, unpressurized Orb2 to enable OSA to take place in a fully enclosed, thermally stable environment that includes shielding from Micrometeor and Orbital Debris. The robotic arm of the Orb2 will be modified to interact diverse space assets enabling a range of missions from repair and refuel to assembly and hardware augmentation. OSA, enabled by Orb2, closes critical gaps in mission capability, sustainability and represents a new capability to support future space missions, potentially reducing overall program complexity and costs. There are no solutions available to perform OSA at this scale, and ThinkOrbital addresses the service mission goals.