• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • NEWS:
  • SatNews
  • SatMagazine
  • MilSatMagazine
  • SmallSat News
  • |     EVENTS:
  • SmallSat Symposium
  • Satellite Innovation
  • MilSat Symposium

SatNews

  • HOME
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • Perspectives
  • Industry Calendar
    • IN PERSON
    • VIRTUAL
  • Subscribe

Tethers Unlimited Passes Milestone for NASA’s On-Orbit Assembly in Orbit

October 6, 2020

Artist’s concept showing the MakerSat payload manufacturing a 10-meter composite boom extending from the OSAM-1 satellite. Image: Maxar

A critical design review milestone has has been completed by Tethers Unlimited, Inc. (TUI) for its MakerSat payload that is part of NASA’s On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) mission. The mission is being executed in collaboration with Maxar Technologies  and is targeted for launch in the mid-2020s.

MakerSat is incorporated as part of Maxar’s Space Infrastructure Dexterous Robot (SPIDER) payload attached to the OSAM-1 spacecraft bus. SPIDER will robotically assemble a communications antenna in orbit, while the MakerSat portion will manufacture a carbon fiber composite beam. In-space manufacturing will play a key role in enabling future scientific and commercial activities in space. The successful milestone completion serves as a go ahead for the fabrication of the qualification model.

“MakerSat will demonstrate the manufacturing of the 2-by-4’s that can be used to construct large telescopes for studying exoplanets and to assemble future space stations,” said TUI’s Founder and President, Dr. Rob Hoyt.

TUI’s Makersat will demonstrate in-space manufacturing of a 10-meter (32 foot) length (minimum) lightweight composite beam, verifying its capability to form large, thermally-stable composite spacecraft truss structures for future missions. As it manufactures the beam, MakerSat will characterize the beam’s shape and structural performance to determine if a structure built in space performs differently than one made on Earth.

Filed Under: Manufacturing, New Products

Primary Sidebar

Most Read Stories

  • CORRECTION: Blue Origin launches their 5th human spaceflight mission
  • neXat empowers affordable satellite internet for Indonesian businesses 
  • Satellogic is a finalist for “Company Award 2022” by the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies
  • UPDATE 6: Lunar Transfer Orbit achieved by Rocket Lab for the NASA CAPSTONE smallsat — 1st deep space mission success for the company
  • SES and Vodafone PNG to deliver 4G and 5G services to underserved areas in Papua New Guinea

About Satnews

  • Contacts
  • History

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020

Secondary Sidebar

x
Sign up Now (For Free)
Access daily or weekly satellite news updates covering all aspects of the commercial and military satellite industry.
Invalid email address
Notify Me Regarding ( At least one ):
We value your privacy and will not sell or share your email or other information with any other company. You may also unsubscribe at anytime.

Click Here to see our full privacy policy.
Thanks for subscribing!