Repairing a communications satellite on orbit
A review of past failures indicates that module exchange can satisfy most repair requirements of communications satellites. Emphasis is placed on the design of a serviceable communications satellites with 20 modules, on the development of an on-orbit servicer designed to remove failed modules from a body-stabilized spacecraft and to replace them with good modules, and on servicing operations. Benefits of servicing or repair include increased satellite availability, increased reliability, decreased life cycle costs, replacement of worn-out items, installation of updated equipment, and correction of design failures. The use of servicing instead of replacement could result in cost savings in excess of 40 percent. Significant savings are possible when the lifetime of a program is long relative to the satellite lifetime.