SBIR Phase I: In-orbit Satellite Servicing Interface for Science and Commercial Applications

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目的广泛影响将影响许多科学和商业航天器。当发射具有高价值有效载荷的科学卫星时，卫星的能力和任务寿命往往可以远远超出典型的五年任务寿命，有时可以运行10年以上。这意味着，在许多情况下，卫星的实际任务寿命可能取决于机载燃料的数量。虽然对较大的商业卫星（数千公斤）来说，燃料补给的经济效益是存在的，但对较小的卫星（数百公斤及以下）来说，这种效益就不那么明显了。拟议中的项目是一个小型卫星的燃料补给系统，可以提高美国在太空的科学、军事和商业能力。拟议的项目将消除执行航天器接近操作和对接的复杂性，以便通过带有相关传感器和功能的“螺栓连接”标准化组件促进商业加油。该系统将在地面生产过程中安装。这种集成的传感器、通信、加油阀和对接锁将为服务卫星和客户卫星提供安全接近、安全对接和交换燃料所需的功能。它将包含在一个名为综合服务接口（ISI）的组件中，通过标准化促进在轨加油能力所需的技术和接口来简化卫星设计。该提案将定义操作和捕获需求的概念，确定近场操作和对接的最佳光学对准方法，确定任务每个阶段所需的传感器套，选择适当的卫星间链路以确保SC之间的稳健通信，并通过生产类似飞行的原型来实现ISI的设计。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will affect numerous science and commercial spacecraft. When science satellites with high-value payloads are launched, the satellite capabilities and mission life can often extend well beyond the typical five-year mission life, sometimes operating for more than 10 years. This means that in many cases, the actual mission life of a satellite may be governed by the amount of fuel on board. While the economic benefits of refueling exist for larger commercial satellites (thousands of kilograms), it is not as clear for smaller satellites (hundreds of kilograms and smaller). The proposed project, a refueling system for smaller satellites, can increase the United States’ scientific, military, and commercial capabilities in space. The proposed project will remove the complexity of performing spacecraft proximity operations and docking in order to facilitate commercial refueling through a ‘bolt on’ standardized component with the associated sensors and functions. The system will be installed during production on the ground. This integrated package of sensors, communications, fueling valves, and docking latches will provide the functionality required for a servicing vehicle and a client satellite to safely approach, securely dock, and exchange fuel between the two vehicles. It would be contained within a component named the Integrated Servicing Interface (ISI), simplifying satellite design by standardizing the technologies and interfaces required to facilitate in-orbit refueling capabilities. This proposal will define concept of operations and capture requirements, determine the optimal optical alignment approach for near-field operations and docking, identify the suite of sensors required for each phase of the mission, select the appropriate intersatellite link to ensure robust communications between SC, and implement the design of the ISI by producing a flight-like prototype.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.