Plug-and-Play Space Travel

Shoving stuff into space shouldn’t be such a chore, says the Air Force, and we’re in total agreement.  It turns out we’re still not on the moon despite forty year since we set foot to regolith, mainly because getting anywhere near it requires government-level funding. So much so that despite actually having that much money the USAF is insisting that science make things cheaper.

They’re paying Northrop Grumman to develop “Plug-and-play” space technology, which would allow the installation and orbit-insertion of satellite payloads in days instead of months.  This means a standardized system for control and power throughout the satellite.  A central system would instantly understand its job and how to do it.  It’s true that such a system would be locked into near-Earth endeavors - in fact, would be built specifically for them - but bringing down costs would work across the off-Earth board, expanding interest in getting off this dirtball and the idea that it doesn’t half to cost half of said ball’s shinier dirts to do it.

Public or private, lowered production costs and standardized infrastructures mean more projects could get on with the actual work.  Instead of reinventing the orbital wheel every time they need to get out of the atmosphere.  Nanosats are another approach to this, automatically limiting costs by shrinking the mass and launch costs.  Though a hidden cost would be the increased need for an outer space trash service - as more companies are capable of launching objects, and less likely to care about long term effects, the satellite shell of broken bits orbiting the Earth will continue to grow.

But more space good.  Less space shortsighted and stupid.  Cheaper always good.  

Luke McKinney

Plug-and-play Spacecraft