INNOVATIVE ENGINEERING PROCESSES AND PRODUCTION METHODOLOGIES TO REDUCE DEVELOPMENT COST OF FUTURE SATELLITES

摘要

Space technology is today mature, spacecrafts and payload dimensions and weights have been reduced. Hence missions based on small satellites and constellation/formations of satellites can be conceived and realized at a reasonable cost. However, despite the consistent effort till today spent in studies, technology, equipments, two aspects remain still unsatisfactory in the space business: time to market and launch cost. Concerning the second point a substantial improvement shall be achieved only in the next decade by adopting the launcher reusable technology. Instead the time to market and the satellite development cost can be reduced applying modern design and manufacturing concepts. Alenia Spazio is substantially participating into the development of Globalstar constellation being responsible for the satellite integration, test campaigns and launch campaigns. In particular all satellites have been integrated and tested in a dedicated highly innovative facility located in Rome: the 'Small Satellite Centre'. By this experience ALS has gained a unique know-how and a rich Data Base of test results and NCR's (Non Compliance Report) which shall be managed to determine the test effectiveness and define future test plan with the associated risk analysis. This paper deals with new concepts for satellite mapufacturing, AIV/AIT and pre-launch support activities suitable for reducing satellite cost and time-to-market. In this view Globalstar facility improvements are described such to propose the 'Small Satellite Centre' as a national standard facility for small/medium size missions.