Satellite Refueling, Deep Space Assembly Lines and Five Ball Constellations

NASA Telecommunications Systems Manager Greg Heckler shares his thoughts on some of the latest scientific and technological achievements in space. He discusses extending the lifetime of spacecraft and satellites by robotically servicing and refueling in space. This extends a mission’s ability to provide science observations and satellite communications for a much longer duration. Greg also explores the concept of Deep Space Gateways and how NASA is developing robotic tools and technologies to assemble larger spacecraft in deep space. This eliminates the need for astronauts to go into space and perform assembly, as was necessary with the International Space Station. He also talks about the increasing partnership between NASA and the private sector to drive advancements in space and how the Space Network Ground Segment Sustainment (SGSS) project will decrease ground station footprints by about 90%. This is achieved by leveraging a pooled architecture that detects errors and retrieves additional resources as needed.