A Design for an Orbital Assembly Facility
Simon Feast Alan Bond

Outline
• Why the need for it?
• The Problems with On-Orbit Assembly
• Design Constraints / Layout and Assembly

…Why the need for it?
An integral part of the Space Transportation Infrastructure
Function
• Vehicle Assembly and Maintenance Facility
(A Stepping Stone for High Energy Space Missions)
• Assessment and Repair Area for Vehicle Departures/Arrivals
• Propellant Storage

Ideas from the Past

The Main Problem with On-Orbit Assembly
Parallel Orbit In-Plane Orbit