Design Reference Missions for Archinaut: A Roadmap for In-Space Manufacturing and Assembly

摘要

Realizing the potential of In-Space Robotic Manufacturing and Assembly (IRMA) technologies necessitates a succinct, logical Design Reference Mission (DRM) roadmap aligned with and informed by adequately matured technological capabilities, anticipated mission requirements, and novel mission concepts. Decades of innovative research and development into in-space assembly and servicing today yield a resilient and cost-effective suite of capabilities. While these efforts elucidate the near-term use cases for in-space assembly and servicing, advancing in-space manufacturing technologies necessitates further planning. The National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) funded and collaborated with Made In Space, Inc. (MIS) to develop Archinaut, a suite of IRMA capabilities combining Additive Manufacturing (AM), precision Robotic Assembly (RA), and in-situ Verification and Validation (V&V). Matured through International Space Station (ISS) utilization as well as via ground-based thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing, Archinaut simultaneously enables novel mission concepts and infuses fresh potential into long-established architectures. This paper briefly summarizes Archinaut development, contextualizes Archinaut within the domain of existing DRM roadmaps, and presents an Archinaut DRM Roadmap utilizing its unique suite of IRMA capabilities.