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Title: On-Orbit Asset Management System, September 1995. Final report

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/111893· OSTI ID:111893

Declining budgets have prompted the need to decrease launch cost, increase satellite lifetime, and accomplish more with each satellite. This study evaluates an OOAMS system for its ability to lengthen lifetime of on-orbit assets, decrease the number of satellites required to perform a mission, increase responsiveness, and provide increased mission capability/tactical advantage. Lifetime analysis suggest that the larger satellite systems (NASA and military communication systems, surveillance satellites and earth observing satellites) would benefit most from a nuclear bimodal OOAMS. Evaluation of satellite constellations indicate that a modest reduction in the number of satellites could be realized using OOAMS if the thermal restart capability was at least ten. An OOAMS could improve the responsiveness (launching of new assets) using on-orbit reconstitution of assets. A top level utility assessment was done to address system cost issues relating to funding profiles, first unit cost, and break-even analysis. From mission capture and orbital lifetime criteria, the recommended minimum orbital altitude is 900 km. The on-orbit thermal restart capability should be increased from five to ten. Analysis of total impulse vs propellant consumed for selected missions suggests that total impulse be increased from 40 million to 48 million Newton-seconds.

Research Organization:
Martin Marietta Astro Space, Philadelphia, PA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-89SF17787
OSTI ID:
111893
Report Number(s):
DOE/SF/17787-T18; ON: DE96001033
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 10 Oct 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English