Abstract The first half century of satellite applications has entailed rapid technological growth with the deployment of bigger, better, and more sophisticated satellites that have responded to rapidly expanding space application markets. The development of more reliable and higher-capacity rockets with increased lift and higher cost efficiencies has generally reinforced the trend to always seek new economies of scope and scale. Currently, however, there are widely diverging thoughts about “What Next?” Some feel that even larger high-throughput satellites and corporate consolidation and mergers are the way forward. Others are promoting growth through large-scale low earth orbit constellations with networks that might contain as many as thousands of application satellites in so-called mega-LEO systems. Others are increasingly concerned about orbital debris and the need for active debris removal and improved deorbiting systems. Yet others are being to think that on-orbit repair and servicing of application satellites to extend their usable life may represent yet another important new development. New techniques associated with on-orbit servicing and repair have begun to emerge in the last few years. There have been many proposed new ways forward. These proposals include refueling of satellites with depleted maneuvering systems, redeployment of satellites from low earth orbits that failed to reach GEO, and even repurposing of components on derelict satellites such as large aperture antennas or solar power systems to create new and cost-effective satellites in space rather than deorbiting them as space debris. These redeployments, repair, or augmentation of defective satellites, and even repurposing of parts from derelict satellites to create new spacecraft, could offer new economies of scale to make satellite applications more cost-effective and extend usable lifetimes. This capability might be critical to coping with orbital space debris problems. It is noteworthy to understand that some of the techniques and capabilities needed to undertake on-orbit servicing, repair, or satellite upgrades are quite parallel to the capabilities needed to undertake active orbital debris removal or mitigation. This chapter examines some of the new capabilities that are being developed to carry out on-orbit servicing, repair, or repurposing. This chapter also include some brief discussion of how these technologies might be commercially applied to space debris mitigation and active removal techniques – and in the relatively near future.


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