WASHINGTON – NASA has terminated a significant project aimed at showcasing advanced satellite servicing technologies after facing extensive delays and cost overruns. The On-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM) 1 mission, which was designed to refuel the Landsat 7 spacecraft and perform in-orbit assembly of a Ka-band satellite antenna, has been officially canceled by NASA.
The decision to cancel OSAM-1 was made due to various technical, cost, and schedule challenges, as well as a shift in the industry towards more advanced spacecraft servicing methods. NASA stated that there was a lack of a committed partner for the project, leading to its discontinuation.
With approximately 450 NASA employees and contractors dedicated to the project, the cancellation of OSAM-1 will require an orderly shutdown process, including the transfer of hardware and potential exploration of alternative partnerships or uses for the technology. NASA is also committed to supporting the project workforce through fiscal year 2024, ensuring a smooth transition.
The mission, initially known as Restore-L and later renamed OSAM-1, was scheduled to launch in 2020 to refuel Landsat 7 before expanding its scope to include in-space assembly and manufacturing activities. However, the project encountered significant delays and cost increases, with the total estimated cost ballooning to $2.05 billion by April 2022, far exceeding the original projections.
A key contributing factor to the issues faced by OSAM-1 was the performance of Maxar, the company responsible for supplying the spacecraft bus and robotics payload for the mission. Delays in the delivery of essential components, technical challenges, and issues with subcontractor management were highlighted as major hurdles in a report by NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).
Despite receiving ample funding from Congress, exceeding NASA’s initial requests, the project ultimately faced insurmountable challenges that led to its cancellation. The decision comes at a time when commercial entities are actively pursuing satellite servicing technologies, signaling a shift towards more collaborative and efficient approaches in the industry.
While the termination of OSAM-1 is a setback for NASA, the agency remains committed to advancing robotic technologies and satellite servicing capabilities for future applications. Although challenging, the experience gained from the project will undoubtedly inform and shape future endeavors in the realm of space exploration and technology development.