12-2. Construction of Large Space Power Facilities LYLE M. JENKINS Summary Construction was an important facet of the Satellite Power System studies in the late 1970s. Satellite servicing and assembly of the Space Station Freedom are addressing many of the critical issues in construction of large space systems. Design for assembly, capability of construction equipment and interaction with the launch system influence configuration development. The extravehicular capabilities of space-suited crew and remote operating systems like the Flight Telerobotic Servicer will provide an operational experience base for development of future large space power facilities. Economic success may well depend on early consideration of construction requirements and capabilities. Introduction The generation of great quantities of power in space will require correspondingly large facilities. The extensive study of the Satellite Power System (SPS) concept in the late 1970s was the first intensive study of a space system of such size that it dictated the systems needed to construct it. Analysis of the SPS provided a base and heritage for subsequent studies and developments for systems of smaller scale. This background has not been applied consistently in plans for servicing satellites and assembling the Space Station Freedom (SSF). Future deployment of Strategic Defense Systems may also benefit from fundamentals of designing for assembly and use of capabilities that continue to be developed. The benefits of servicing satellites to extend their operational life are beginning to be realized in actuality and in future planning. The performance of tasks for servicing in space is functionally similar to many of the activities required in the construction and maintenance of large space power facilities. The development of servicing capabilities has begun to be demonstrated and to be brought into consideration in current and future space programs. Space Station Freedom is the largest space system to be committed for development. The configuration has gone through a series of changes as the result of sequential consideration of requirements. Dependence on intensive extravehicular activity (EVA) for assembly and the realization of the constraints imposed by the delivery system have affected the configuration. The importance of designing for assembly from the initiation of a program has been clearly illustrated. The construction of future large space systems, whether they are to produce power or for other purposes, will benefit from the principles of the design for assembly Lyle M. Jenkins, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA. Paper number IAF-ICOSP89-12-2.
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