Benefits of In-Space Manufacturing Technology Development for Human Spaceflight

Abstract

Future human deep space exploration will be faced with the challenges of long mission endurance, as well as demand for robust surface infrastructure, increased solar power generation, and reliable high data rate communications, just to name a few. In-space manufacturing (ISM) can potentially address these challenges, and thus revolutionize human spaceflight, by opening up design freedom previously limited by launch vehicle constraints. For example, ISM can drastically reduce spares logistics mass with on-demand manufactured spare parts, utilize in-situ resources for surface infrastructure, and manufacture high-gain antenna reflectors and solar array structures that are larger than existing deployables. This paper aims to understand how ongoing ISM technology development efforts can benefit human spaceflight by assessing the utility of different technology development paths. This analysis involves identifying the needs of a mission scenario, limitations on allowable manufacturing processes, the theoretical benefit from ISM for that case (including minimum capability thresholds and points of diminishing return), and the tracing of achieved benefit back to technology development parameters. For the case of on-demand spares, benefit is measured in terms of the spares logistics mass savings relative to the conventional carry-along strategy for a desired probability of sufficient spares over the mission duration. Increasing benefit is gained as more spares become manufacturable by ISM using manufacturing processes with increasing capability, such as larger build volumes, wider range of materials, and improved resolution. This same process is applicable for the other case studies of surface infrastructure and large external structures. This work can thus inform the way in which ISM technologies are pursued with the specific purpose of yielding the maximum benefit for future human space exploration.