Space Force satellite operators not yet ready to embrace in-orbit servicing
by Sandra Erwin — November 16, 2021
Space Force logistics lead Karl Stolleis said the culture of military satellite operators has not yet caught up to the technology
WASHINGTON — An emerging sector of the space industry is focused on servicing satellites in orbit, providing refueling, life extension and repair services. NASA has embraced this technology and plans to launch its own On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing OSAM-1 mission in 2024 to refuel an aging satellite and assemble hardware in space.
The Space Force, which operates more than 100 satellites for the U.S. military, has yet to figure out how to take advantage of this technology, said Karl Stolleis, space logistics and robotics lead at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
“I think we’re struggling with it little bit and I think it’s because we don’t understand the mission,” Stolleis said Nov. 16 at the ASCEND conference organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
https://spacenews.com/space-force-satellite-operators-not-yet-ready-to-embrace-in-orbit-servicing/
