In a groundbreaking move, NASA has announced the creation of a new consortium that will focus on making in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) a routine part of space missions. This revolutionary development has the potential to extend the life of spacecraft and enable new mission paradigms.
The COnsortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities (COSMIC), funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), will bring together government, industry, nonprofit research institutions, and academia in a nationwide alliance. The goal? To ensure that the United States remains the global leader in ISAM.
With capabilities such as spacecraft repair, refueling, relocation, retrofitting, 3D printing, and assembling components in space, ISAM has the potential to create a more sustainable, robust, and enduring space ecosystem. The future of space missions is about to change forever – are you ready for it?
Image Credit: NASA/Michael Guinto – Detail shot of the On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing 1 (OSAM-1) autocapture test bed during a test of the Robotic Servicing Arm inside the Robotic Operations Center (ROC) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Feb 23, 2023. These tests are critical to developing docking algorithms and procedures for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) missions and services.
