Satellite System Hardware Development at KSC

Utilizing engineering knowledge gained from 50 plus years of processing and modifying flight hardware, KSC has partnered successfully with GSFC Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office  (SSCO) since 2011 for design, fabrication, sub- system development and test of key flight hardware for high pressure hypergolic and supercritical pressure xenon propellant transfer systems and components (including several low TRL items  and patent pending designs).  

Capabilities and Services:

Engineering services to design, fabricate, qualify, and acceptance test flight hardware and subsystems for satellite systems and spacecraft to required inter-NASA center standards, mission requirements, and AIAA codes. 

Integrated GSFC / KSC Hypergolic (Nitrogen Tetroxide) refueling ConOPS demonstration combined with robotic mate / demate controlled from GSFC remotely to mockup client satellite interface.

RROxiTT - the Remote Robotic Oxidizer Transfer Test

Accomplishments:

Engineering development units of flight hardware subsystems fully tested to demonstrate feasibility for extreme GEO and LEO environments performance planned for on-orbit ConOPS, including testing in neutral buoyancy pool and zero-G flight), Thermal-VAC performance testing, vibration, cycle life  and hazardous high pressure and toxic commodity / hypergolic commodity testing / demonstrations.

Utilizing excess STS  test  equipment and components, along with open windows of shared facility resources at KSC /CCAFS for  test setups  KSC team saved several $ M and up to 6 months timeline in the initial concept test / development effort for the project. 

Over 5 patents issued regarding propellant transfer subsystem components and operations for satellite refueling.

Project utilized accelerated streamlined and tailored KSC processes to design, assemble, and test these engineering development units saving many months in the development cycle.

Checkout how KSC Design Engineering is enabling Satellite Servicing Capabilities, and partnering with GSFC.

http://www.nasa.gov/content/testing-continues-for-satellite-servicing-capabilities/#.Up4Cu7ZQ1Hq

http://ssco.gsfc.nasa.gov/propellant_transfer_technologies.html