Refilling in space with Odyssey

The European Space Agency's Odyssey project proposes to put key technologies together into one package by providing a service for transport vehicles and spacecraft in orbit: an uncrewed propellant depot offering refilling services. Called Odyssey (a loose abbreviation for Orbital Depot for Your Sustained Space Exploration & beYond) this depot would store propellant bought from visiting supply rockets and distribute it as needed to spacecraft on a stopover to destinations farther away such as the Moon or Mars, or to Earth orbiting navigation satellites that have used all their propellant and need a refill to extend their working life.

ESA has given priority to areas and is working with industry to develop and prepare new capabilities that are grouped into four themes that are expected to expand over time.

1. in-orbit rendezvous, docking and refilling (InSPoC-1)
2. in-orbit cryogenic propellants management and refuelling (InSPoC-2)
3. onboard and shared intelligence (InSPoC-3)
4. containerization and advanced space logistics (InSPoC-4)

These themes cover the major technical aspects of servicing scenarios, from reaching a spacecraft and connecting with it, transferring fuel between spacecraft, communicating between them and coordination groups of transport spacecraft – a space traffic control using artificial intelligence. Other aspects include payload logistics such as packaging and transferring cargo.

The Odyssey concept, if it can be demonstrated to be viable, would also be a contribution to a more sustainable use of space, by providing important elements of a future circular space economy.