Value chain · CLM-1473
In plain terms
A 2020 UK government study expects early test satellites to be left to wear out slowly. For full-size satellites, it assumes robots would swap out faulty modules, using the same robots that built the satellite. Those robots do not exist yet. NASA's 2024 study instead plans to replace all of a satellite's hardware every 10 years.
The claim as recorded
Frazer-Nash's 2020 feasibility report for the UK government, in the key points its contributors raised for the technology roadmap, assumes that pilot satellites would get little maintenance and be allowed to degrade gracefully, to gather data on degradation rates, and that from large pilot demonstration scale onwards maintenance would consist of replacing faulty modules with the same robots used for in-orbit assembly, which it says need significant advances first. NASA's 2024 study takes a different approach for its two designs: it replaces all their hardware twice over a 30-year life (CLM-0192, CLM-0243).
Evidence behind this: T4: a consultancy feasibility report for the UK government recording an assumption from its contributors.
Scope and limits
An assumption recorded in a roadmap, not a costed or demonstrated maintenance plan. It covers SBSP in general and does not name a design. CASSIOPeiA's designer intends no planned maintenance (CLM-1472), so this is not a statement about CASSIOPeiA. The text gives no repair rate, no downtime, and no saying whether output stops while modules are swapped. The robotics it relies on do not yet exist at this scale (same page).
What it assumes
No assumptions are recorded against this claim.
Where it comes from
PDF p.47, section 6.5.16 "Satellite Maintenance", read at a zoom 3 crop: "When conducting initial demonstrations at pilot system trials it is unlikely significant maintenance will be conducted, instead the satellite will be allowed to gracefully degrade." "At large pilot demonstration scale and beyond the technology is closely linked to in-orbit assembly, it is assumed the maintenance will consist of replacing modules within the system that are faulty. As a result, the same robotics development required for assembly will be deployed during maintenance. Significant advancements in this technology are required ahead of deployment at large pilot demonstration whole system level." Section 6.5 is headed "KEY POINTS FROM CONTRIBUTORS" (PDF p.45). CLM-0192: NASA's baseline 10-year hardware lifetime. CLM-0243: two refurbishment cycles over a 30-year life. SRC-012 PDF p.70: "two refurbishment cycles for all modules and servicers".
Related records
- Answers question
- QST-021 not published in this release
Cite this
energyaperture.com/c/clm-1473
CLM-1473, Energy Aperture, as of 2020.
Connected records
Other published records linked to this one. A list, not a judgement.
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- Cited in articles