Session
Poster Session 3
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
OrbitCare is a proposed orbital infrastructure enabling scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective in-space servicing, manufacturing, and assembly through a modular system architecture comprising an Orbital Manufacturing Hub (OMH) and a fleet of free-flying WorkSat servicing satellites, all integrated via a standardized Servicing Interface Standard (SIS). This paper presents the technical architecture, subsystem design, trade studies, use cases, and development roadmap for OrbitCare. The motivation stems from the current lack of persistent infrastructure in orbit, which renders satellites single-use assets with limited repair or upgrade capabilities. OrbitCare addresses this by combining a permanent hub with reusable robotic satellites to extend spacecraft lifespans, reduce orbital debris, and construct large structures not feasible to launch fully assembled. The OMH functions as a central depot with robotic arms, docking bays, and solar power generation, while WorkSats carry 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arms, vision-based autonomous navigation, and propulsion. The SIS ensures interoperability between modules and client spacecraft through unified mechanical and electrical interfaces. Trade studies informed design decisions on robotic configurations, propulsion types, additive manufacturing methods, autonomy levels, and relative navigation sensors. Control algorithms such as visual servoing and model-predictive control are outlined for coordinated operations across multiple servicing platforms. Use cases span immediate applications like refueling and repair of aging satellites, mid-term goals like on-orbit construction of space telescopes or solar arrays, and long-term extensions into cis-lunar and Martian orbital servicing. Notional cost estimates place the development and deployment of the initial system (OMH and WorkSats) at a few hundred million USD, economically justified for high-value assets such as USD 200M-class satellites or unique science platforms. Business models including pay-per-use and subscription services, are discussed, along with the importance of open SIS standards to drive industry-wide adoption and interoperability. By establishing a serviceable, modular, and reusable space infrastructure, OrbitCare lays the groundwork for a sustainable and scalable orbital economy, forming the backbone for long-term, creative, and routine activity in space, and marking a first step toward platform-based orbital services and the broader vision of orbital civilization. Given the breadth of the system, this paper consolidates a substantial amount of research and technical detail, apologies in advance for the density.
Document Type
Event
OrbitCare: A Universal Autonomous In-Orbit Platform for Manufacturing, Servicing, and Debris Mitigation
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
OrbitCare is a proposed orbital infrastructure enabling scalable, sustainable, and cost-effective in-space servicing, manufacturing, and assembly through a modular system architecture comprising an Orbital Manufacturing Hub (OMH) and a fleet of free-flying WorkSat servicing satellites, all integrated via a standardized Servicing Interface Standard (SIS). This paper presents the technical architecture, subsystem design, trade studies, use cases, and development roadmap for OrbitCare. The motivation stems from the current lack of persistent infrastructure in orbit, which renders satellites single-use assets with limited repair or upgrade capabilities. OrbitCare addresses this by combining a permanent hub with reusable robotic satellites to extend spacecraft lifespans, reduce orbital debris, and construct large structures not feasible to launch fully assembled. The OMH functions as a central depot with robotic arms, docking bays, and solar power generation, while WorkSats carry 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arms, vision-based autonomous navigation, and propulsion. The SIS ensures interoperability between modules and client spacecraft through unified mechanical and electrical interfaces. Trade studies informed design decisions on robotic configurations, propulsion types, additive manufacturing methods, autonomy levels, and relative navigation sensors. Control algorithms such as visual servoing and model-predictive control are outlined for coordinated operations across multiple servicing platforms. Use cases span immediate applications like refueling and repair of aging satellites, mid-term goals like on-orbit construction of space telescopes or solar arrays, and long-term extensions into cis-lunar and Martian orbital servicing. Notional cost estimates place the development and deployment of the initial system (OMH and WorkSats) at a few hundred million USD, economically justified for high-value assets such as USD 200M-class satellites or unique science platforms. Business models including pay-per-use and subscription services, are discussed, along with the importance of open SIS standards to drive industry-wide adoption and interoperability. By establishing a serviceable, modular, and reusable space infrastructure, OrbitCare lays the groundwork for a sustainable and scalable orbital economy, forming the backbone for long-term, creative, and routine activity in space, and marking a first step toward platform-based orbital services and the broader vision of orbital civilization. Given the breadth of the system, this paper consolidates a substantial amount of research and technical detail, apologies in advance for the density.
