A satellite architecture for operationally responsive space

Abstract

Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) is focused on putting satellites in orbit in significantly less time than it currently takes. ORS is based on responding to an operational need quickly, but it should not be thought of as a new way to place national systems in orbit. Operational needs likely result from a need to augment an existing system or to replace a portion of an existing system. Whether a satellite is required as an augmentation or a replacement, it would need to be placed in orbit on the order of weeks, not years, as it would take to deploy a satellite from scratch. ORS systems will be a gap filler aimed at maintaining an existing advantage in unforeseen circumstances. This research shows, based on the available literature, how the needs for ORS can be broken down systematically into a set of requirements to be used to design a space system. It provides a basic concept of how an ORS satellite architecture would be developed. Finally, this research also defines a preliminary system design that would enable satellites to be launched on short notice.