November 22, 2024

Next-Gen Refueling Spacecraft to Revitalize Satellites in Geostationary Orbit

Credit: Astroscale U.S.The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is developing a spacecraft called Astroscale Prototype Servicer for Refueling (APS-R) as part of a $25.5 million task with the U.S. Space Force.Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) will build, integrate, and check a small presentation spacecraft as part of a $25.5 million Space Mobility and Logistics (SML) prototyping project moneyed by the U.S. Space Force and led by prime contractor Astroscale U.S. The spacecraft will carry hydrazine propellant from a depot, also in geostationary orbit, to the spacecraft in need of fuel.”Over the next 16 months, SwRI will build the host automobile for the APS-R in the Institutes brand-new 74,000-square-foot Space System Spacecraft and Payload Processing Facility, which was produced to quickly react to customers requiring to design, put together, and test spacecraft, especially little satellites.