Flexibility and the value of on-orbit servicing: New customer-centric perspective

A new customer-centric perspective on on-orbit servicing, where the value of on-orbit servicing is studied independently from its cost, is proposed. A framework is developed that captures the value of flexibility provided by on-orbit servicing to space systems. Several options are made available to space missions through on-orbit servicing, such as the option to service for life extension or to upgrade, that need not be set before launch; they can be exercised after the spacecraft has been deployed, depending on how events unfold (market changes, new military contingency, etc.). It is argued that only by accounting for this flexibility that the true value of on-orbit servicing can be evaluated. Applications of this framework to both nonprofit and commercial systems are provided that demonstrate the usefulness of this new perspective on on-orbit servicing.