Rethinking the Vital Role of Smallsats in the Space Ecosystem

Abstract

Within the last several years, the United States (US) space industry has been evaluating ways to decrease the cost of extremely large, expensive, vulnerable, and slow-to-deploy space segment assets. Doubt in the utility of small satellite (smallsat) capabilities exists at a critical time when many government and commercial space organizations are working to define their future space architectures and decide on focused investments into the spacecraft that will comprise the space segments of the next generation. This paper presents the case for the vital necessity of smallsats in in future space architectures. It begins by presenting how space systems have become intertwined into the fabric of modern society, especially in the US. Subsequently, the paper defines one possible instance of an “ideal” state of a healthy space industry and then provides a cursory evaluation of the US space industry with respect to this ideal state. The paper casts the vision for development of hybrid systems for future space architectures, with a proper blend of large satellite systems with constellations of smaller systems networked with other individual satellite systems to form a robust space network architecture that is the most efficient in time and cost, most technologically advanced, and most resilient to natural and man-made degradation of space systems. The paper then presents the thesis that smallsats are critical to a robust space ecosystem by providing technical demonstration opportunities to seed future systems, serving as vital components of effective and resilient hybrid architectures, increasing technology refresh rates, and decreasing access to space costs by increasing demand for launch opportunities. Specifically, it describes the vital necessity of small satellites to form a robust ecosystem of all sizes, classes, and mission areas of space systems. Drawing from the direct analogy of biological ecosystems, this paper presents how smallsats are necessary for a healthy space ecosystem of lower cost, cutting-edge technology-infused, and resilient space architectures. Specifically, it explains the appropriate mission areas that would benefit from distributed architectures, such as weather systems, unprotected communications, precision, timing and navigation (PNT), in addition to some earth observation and science missions. Furthermore, the paper presents the vital role of smallsats in the infusion of the most recent technological capabilities into the larger satellite systems that should not be disaggregated, namely, ensuring that higher technology readiness level (TRL) systems are integrated into the future larger systems to reduce development risks, schedule, and costs. This paper presents how smallsats in the CubeSat and Picosat class are critical to the development of Nanoand Microsat satellites, which then feed into the larger systems that cannot be distributed due to physics limitations. Finally, this paper presents several recommendations for leadership of the US space industry to implement the necessary changes to readily employ smallsats to enable a robust space ecosystem. Importantly, this paper contends that the preponderance of the barriers to the viability of small distributed architectures can be specifically addressed through deliberate cooperation between the US Government and commercial space sectors, as well as the international space community, to some extent. More than just a conceptual assertion, this paper presents practical measures that the US Government can employ to not only extremely benefit the current programs of record, but also significantly and mutually profit the commercial space industry as a whole. This includes specific suggestions on acquisition approaches to more readily access commercial capabilities, such as commercial launch opportunities and enabling technologies for orbital, ground station and user equipment systems.