Framework for Defining and Assessing Benefits of a Modular Assembly Design Approach for Exploration Systems

A comprehensive modular assembly system model has been proposed that extends the art from modular hardware, to include in‐space assembly, servicing and repair and it’s critical components of infrastructure, agents and assembly operations. Benefits of modular assembly have been identified and a set of metrics defined that extends the art beyond the traditional measures of performance, with emphasis on criteria that allow life‐cycle mission costs to be used as a figure of merit (and include all substantive terms that have an impact on the evaluation). The modular assembly approach was used as a basis for developing a Solar Electric Transfer Vehicle (SETV) concept and three modular assembly scenarios were developed. The modular assembly approach also allows the SETV to be entered into service much earlier than competing conventional configurations and results in a great deal of versatility in accommodating different launch vehicle payload capabilities, allowing for modules to be pre‐assembled before launch or assembled on orbit, without changing the space vehicle design.