Persistent Assets in Zero-G and on Planetary Surfaces: Enabled by Modular Technology and Robotic Operations

State of the Profession: NASA Langley Research Center Capabilities/Technologies for Autonomous In-Space Assembly and Modular Persistent Assets

“…These revolutionary observatories will be made possible by embracing the persistent asset paradigm and taking advantage of In-Space Assembly (ISA) and Orbital Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing (OSAM) capabilities. 1 ISA has been proposed for, and studied as a means for achieving large systems in space for decades. 2 More recently, additional benefits of in-space operations have been recognized by NASA, other government agencies and commercial space companies and thus OSAM is being actively pursued at a national level.…”