System Architecting for GEO Communication Satellite Considering On-Orbit Refueling

Abstract

This paper introduces the problem of selecting a satellite system architecture considering commercial on-orbit refueling (OOR). This problem answers two questions: "What design lifetime should the satellite have?" and "How much propellant should be carried at launch?" We formulate this as a mathematical optimization problem by adopting design lifetime and initial propellant mass as design variables and considering two objective functions to balance the returns and risks. To solve this problem, we develop a surrogate model-based framework grounded in a satellite lifecycle simulation. The framework captures various uncertainties and operational flexibility, and integrates a modified satellite sizing and cost model by adjusting traditional models with OOR. Based on the developed framework, we conduct a case study of GEO communication satellites to examine current target service performance and explore the potential of a new system architecture that diverges from traditional design trends.