Evaluation of On-orbit Array Assembly Methods for Space-Based Solar Power

Space-based solar power has recently gained significant traction within government and industry as a potential source of renewable energy. Many of the proposed concepts for space-based solar power missions have outlined a need for robotic on-orbit assembly of the large structures required for power collection and beaming. Various advances have been made in space-based solar power system architectures, and some approaches for assembly have recently been outlined. However, frameworks for systematic evaluation of the various methods to deploy and transport components on-orbit, as well as for the traversal and maintenance of the large structure during assembly, have not been proposed to date. Hence, in this paper, a novel framework for the evaluation of design alternatives for component movement and structure maintenance in the assembly of space-based solar power structures is proposed. The framework provides a set of criteria, attribute evaluation strategies, and a multi-criteria decision-making methodology to narrow the design space for on-orbit assembly designs. Finally, the framework was successfully demonstrated on a case study, which featured six design alternatives for the on-orbit assembly of a flat satellite array.