Almost every self-respecting sci-fi work of literature, cinema, or even gaming features some kind of space dock, a place where ships of all sorts and sizes and from all sorts of imagined worlds are assembled, repaired, and refueled. It’s something our world will need, too, if we are to really become a galactic civilization someday. And guess what: the cornerstone for the first such space installations might just have been set by NASA.
That cornerstone is called COSMIC. It's an acronym that stands for COnsortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities, and the explanation behind its purpose is included in that ISAM particle of the name: in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing.
That’s right, NASA is officially moving to create an organization tasked with making space repair and assembly operations a reality. The basis of COSMIC was set back in February, when nonprofit The Aerospace Corporation was named the group’s main operator and NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) was chosen as the source of funding.
COSMIC’s main goal is to “foster a nationwide alliance across government, industry, nonprofit research institutions, and academia to ensure the United States is the global leader in ISAM.”
What that means is that the U.S. plans to become a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the repair, refueling, and retrofitting of satellites in Earth orbit. More importantly, it should also become a leader in the orbital assembly of space structures, but also spaceships and other types of hardware needed for the exploration of alien worlds.
Photo: Quantum Space
All of the above is nothing short of the definition of a nascent space dock and all the required logistics. But it’ll be a while until the nation gets there, as a lot of work lies ahead for whoever will eventually get involved in the project (the first meeting of the consortium is planned for later in the fall).
The most important obstacle that in-orbit satellite repair and refueling services will have to overcome are the satellites themselves. Almost none of the ones currently up there have been designed with the hardware they need to be captured, refueled, and repaired, making their maintenance extremely difficult.
Then, aside from the assembly of space structures, an actual manufacturing of a spacecraft or satellite has yet to be performed in space, making the task ahead extremely complicated. And given how 3D printing will play a major role in future space docks operations, the matter gets even more twisted.
It’s unclear at this point what solutions COSMIC will find to the challenges ahead. What is sure, however, is that we are witnessing the beginning of humanity’s industrial efforts beyond the confines of our own planet, a moment in time that will probably be in all history books to follow.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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