Based on the identified and projected European mission needs for Earth observation, telecommunications, space processing and scientific missions, mission requirements and in-orbit infrastructure (IOI) element function performances were established. Orbit change, rendezvous and docking, telemanipulator operations, automatic sample exchange, and automatic re-entry elements are applicable for the servicing equipment of a materials processing space platform, the orbital transfer and servicing system, and the re-entry vehicle (REV). Economic and technical arguments favor manned elements (STS) for launch/servicing/payload exchange/recovery for initial material processing missions in a 500 km/28.5 deg orbit. The introduction of Ariane 5 and REV gives Europe an independent servicing capability with similar launch costs but with higher reliance on automatic systems for rendezvous docking/servicing/payload exchange/recovery. Operational missions using Hermes, although not so economically attractive, provide Europe with an independent manned capacity.
In Orbit Infrastructure. Volume 1. Executive Summary
1984
80 pages
Report
No indication
English