Docking mechanism could lead to refuelling satellites still in orbit

A new refueling mechanism, called ASSIST, will allow satellites in the future to be refueled and serviced while in orbit, extending their life.

The TDE activity (4000112963), wanted to find a cost-effective solution for refuelling satellites in space as currently the fuel levels often deplete, in particular for communications satellites, while the payloads are still in good health.

The team, from six different corporations, GMV, MOOG, the National Technical University of Athens, DLR, Thales Alenia Space and OHB, also wanted to develop a standard across the space industry for satellite refueling – allowing future built satellites to be equipped with basic passive interfaces that can be used to capture and refuel them.

They designed a servicing/refueling system for GEO satellites, which have a minimum impact on internal structures of GEO telecom satellites and minimum impact for the servicing satellite on the flexibility and configurability of the berthing fixtures.

Once they built a breadboard of the berthing mechanism, they then tested it under environmental (thermal and vacuum) and dynamic (in a 2D space simulator) conditions and used the analysis to elaborate their refueling standard, together with the key players in the space industry.

The next step is to advance the readiness of the system by demonstrating end-to-end refuelling operations on the ground, which will include simulations of the rendezvous, capture, fuel transfer, and release.