Maintenance factory platform for in-space manufacturing: Conceptualizing design architecture

Abstract

Commerce, long-term habitation, and far-location explorations are the objectives of the next space era, also called Space 2.0. These objectives are the focus of in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) research. Current research in this area is focused on demonstrating various manufacturing processes under microgravity using the International Space Station (ISS) as a platform and relies on an Earth-based supply chain. Building operational infrastructure and supply chains enabling in-space manufacturing is critical for the sustained growth of ISAM to meet the goals of Space 2.0. This paper is specifically focused on discussing the need and potential architecture for a maintenance factory in space to enable servicing, maintenance, and repairs in space environments. Space presents a hostile environment and a new set of challenges to establish a robust infrastructure necessary for supporting these objectives. The realization of such an infrastructure, including physical and digital footprints, is demanding new manufacturing science and engineering tools and platforms for maintenance. The authors present requirements of a robust maintenance platform, called a “factory in space” to deliver multi-functional maintenance service station(s) across various operational points in space such as low-earth orbit, lunar surface, and Martian surface. Such factories are projected to be an essential part of the in-space infrastructure for short as well as long-term commerce, habitation, and exploration. A critical analysis of this concept is proposed through an analysis of the state of the art, boundary conditions in space and requirements of maintenance, the role of manufacturing, and the design as well as sustainability considerations for a maintenance factory in space.