USSF Ready to Harness Satellite-Servicing Technologies Written 14 June 2023
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Artist’s rendition of a satellite servicing mission | Credit: NASA
Space News reports that the US Space Force (USSF) “says it is now ready to get in the game” of satellite-servicing technologies. It is “investing in early-stage technologies and laying out a strategy to buy commercial services to refuel and service satellites in geostationary orbit by the early 2030s.” USSF Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. David Thompson said the military’s thinking about satellite servicing has changed from a few years ago when space operators did not see a large need for in-orbit repairs and refueling. It is now viewed as a strategic advantage. Thompson says USSF “considers satellite servicing and in-orbit logistics as ‘core capabilities’ and is watching developments in the commercial industry.”
Full Story (Space News)