On-orbit servicing: a time-dependent, moving-target traveling salesman problem

The robotic capability of maintaining and repairing space assets, on-orbit servicing (OOS), has the potential to change the way spacecraft are designed, manufactured and operated. The most common OOS mission concept envisions an orbital ‘depot’, where consumables and spare parts for spacecraft will be stored. A ‘servicing platform’, based at this depot, will be used to service a number of client spacecraft and then return to the depot for resupply. We model OOS as a time-dependent, moving-target travelling salesman problem and present an algorithm for minimizing the total amount of energy or time required for OOS operations.