NASA 

In-space Servicing, 

Assembly, and 

Manufacturing (ISAM)

Technology 

Catalog

2021

Technology Transfer Initiative

ISAM Technology Portfolio

Realizing the Promise of ISAM

Technology Descriptions

Licensing Process & Points of Contact

Technology Transfer Workshops 

Servicing Technologies

Assembly Technologies

Manufacturing Technologies

Other ISAM Technologies

Acronyms

By providing U.S companies with early access and an equal playing field to ISAM technologies, NASA is 

helping to jump start multiple, new space-related industries including a satellite servicing market. A robust 

commercial marketplace will provide the U.S. government with cost-effective options for meeting 

future mission needs, while also bolstering the domestic economy. 

. Table of Contents

ISAM Technology Groups

3

4

5

6

7

8

117

127

129

134 

Relative Navigation System & Proximity Operations Algorithms

Reconfigurable Avionics and Algorithms

Robot System / Servicing Arm

Tools and Mating Systems and the Advanced Tool Drive System

Fluid Transfer System

Cooperative Servicing Aids

In-space Assembly Technologies

In-space Manufacturing Technologies

Other ISAM Technologies

22

10

42

30

94

117

114

125

123
Rise of the Immortal

Spacecraft & Visionary Missions

Investments throughout this decade have made the once 

seemingly impossible, possible. The combined capability of Servicing, 

Assembly, and Manufacturing has created the possibility of an immortal 

spaceship that can be continually refueled, repaired, and upgraded. ISAM 

technologies allows us to manufacture new structures and components, repair and 

repurpose structures on-orbit, expand the scale of scientific instruments, and extend the 

service life of on-orbit assets. 

Servicing is the on-orbit and on-surface alteration of a client object after its initial launch using another spacecraft 

or surface agent. 

Assembly involves on-orbit and on-surface aggregation of components to create an asset that cannot be 

achieved with traditional deployment methods and available launch vehicles. 

Manufacturing involves on-orbit and on-surface transformation of raw materials into usable components and 

infrastructure. 

ISAM Technology Portfolio

Servicing

Assembly

Manufacturing
The ISAM Technology Catalog provides domestic companies 

with insight and access to technology NASA has developed. By 

transferring technology as it is developed rather than only after it has 

been demonstrated in orbit, NASA expedites new capabilities into the

commercial market and promotes U.S. global leadership in satellite servicing.

This catalog is intended for domestic companies to review and consider licensing opportunities for 

commercial use. NASA technology innovators prepared the following descriptions of ISAM technologies 

that have been developed in support of spaceflight missions, technology demonstration, or in pursuit of 

concept development. Organizations interested in commercializing ISAM technologies are invited to 

contact the points of contact listed in the catalog to discuss how they can be adapted for other 

spaceflight and surface applications. 

Realizing the Promise of ISAM

How to 

use the 

Catalog

Sustainable, Affordable, 

and Resilient Space and 

Surface Missions

The catalog includes innovations that have been patented and are immediately 

available to license though the NASA Technology Transfer Portal. In addition, the catalog 

includes technologies that are in the preliminary design phase, as well as conceptual designs. 

By documenting the existence and function of technology across this range of maturity, this catalog 

includes almost 200 items beyond the patented technologies listed in the Technology Transfer Portal. 

Tammy Brown Patrick Cosgrove

Tammy.L.Brown@nasa.gov Patrick.A.Cosgrove@nasa.gov

https://technology.nasa.gov

https://technology-gsfc.ndc.nasa.gov/

https://technology.nasa.gov/larc/

https://technology-msfc.ndc.nasa.gov

Technology innovators at various NASA field centers have contributed to the ISAM technologies listed in this 

catalog. They have initiated New Technology Reports (NTR) or patents to document functionality and 

performance, and they can discuss the design rationale and performance with companies 

considering applying for a license. Organizations interested in commercializing 

ISAM technologies should contact: 

NASA’s Technology Portal

ISAM Technology Points of Contact

Center

Partnership Offices

Servicing @ GSFC

Assembly @ LaRC

Manufacturing @ MSFC

Servicing @ GSFC Assembly @ LaRC Manufacturing @ MSFC

Justin Jackson

Justin.R.Jackson@nasa.gov

In the coming decade, robotic servicing is expected to bring about the dawn of a 

new era of extended and upgraded spacecraft utility, saving billions of 

dollars in satellite manufacturing costs. Spacecraft life spans are limited 

by consumables, the exceedingly harsh natural space environment, 

and sometimes imperfect human design. It is now possible to 

refuel, repair and upgrade on-orbit assets to extend their life,

relocate their vantage point, and improve performance 

with enhanced subsystems and sensors.

Servicing can enable unprecedented science and human 

exploration of our solar system and beyond. Robots will serve as helpful 

companions alongside astronauts in terrestrial conditions, constructing 

habitats, moving resources, and extending human presence farther than ever 

before. Servicing can extend mankind's reach on large scale, in-space construction 

of large telescopes unconstrained by fairing size, and persistent platforms designed for 

modular instrument replacement, and regularly renewed resources. 

Servicing covers a wide range of activities spanning fixing, improving, and reviving satellites and refers to 

any work to refuel, repair, replace or augment an existing asset in space. Servicing allows for satellite 

life-extension and upgradability as technology evolves on Earth. The most mature and robust of the ISAM

capabilities, servicing is the conduit through which NASA will end the era of one-and-done spacecraft.

and Terrestrial Missions

Robotic Servicing for Space Applications

ISAM Technologies for On-Orbit Servicing

Journeying Longer

and Seeing

Farther
Servicing Spectrum

Servicing Technologies

Enabling Bold

Space Missions

Relative Navigation System

Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Algorithms

RPO Sensor Suite

ISAM capabilities include these functions that will enable bold new space 

missions, operations, and infrastructure: 

• Remote Survey & Rendezvous

• Capture and Relocate Space Assets 

• Refuel and Replenish

• Replace Spacecraft Bus Modules

• Replace Instrument Modules

• Repair & Augment

Reconfigurable Avionics & Software

Robot System & Servicing Arm

Tools and Mating Systems

Tool Drive

Vision Systems for Tool Worksites

Tool Avionics

Motors

Robotic Tools

Robotic Modular Tool Adapters

Tool Stowage

Astronaut Tools

Other Tools

Fluid Transfer System

Cooperative Servicing Aids

80

70

60

54

52

50

44

42

30

22

16

10

92

94

114
Break out of the Launch Vehicle Fairing

Design with Room to Grow

ISAM Technologies for On-Orbit Assembly

Expand and Evolve

with In-Space

Assembly

The ability to launch individual components of a large structure and 

robotically assemble them in space makes various seemingly impossible 

concepts possible. This capability allows for assembly of habitats in 

places further away than low-Earth orbit, and opens up the door 

for constructing large telescopes and other platforms that 

would otherwise be impossible to deploy from the confines of 

the launch vehicle fairing. 

In-space assembly provides the compelling opportunity to 

expand orbiting structures and enhance science measurements. 

Truss structures can be assembled so that a persistent orbiting platform 

can serve as host for short-term technology demonstrations, or long-term 

instrument hoteling. The persistent platform can evolve to incorporate upgrades 

of support subsystems and new technologies, and is tailored to the operational 

environment, not the launch environment.

Assembly is the practice of gathering two or more parts together in space into a single, functional aggregate 

structure. A suite of assembly capabilities allows us to launch individual parts to space separately and bring them

together, thereby overcoming the constraints of rocket fairing volume limitations. 
Building a Sustainable Future

ISM - Make It -

Don’t Take

It

for Humanity in Space

ISAM Technologies for In-Space Manufacturing (ISM)

Long-duration Exploration missions require a paradigm shift in the design and 

manufacturing of space architectures. The ability to perform In-Space 

Manufacturing (ISM) provides a solution towards sustainable, flexible 

missions, both in-transit and on-surface, through on-demand 

fabrication, repair, and recycling capabilities for critical 

systems, habitats, and mission logistics and maintenance. 

ISM capability is of particular interest for it's potential to contribute to 

in situ resource utilization (ISRU).

Manufacturing is the fabrication of components in space as the 

need arises. This capability allows for greater adaptability in dealing with 

unforeseen challenges and has the potential to eliminate the need to 

launch as many components (including contingency components) up front. It 

also allows for the production of unprecedented monolithic structures, such as 

jointless truss beams. On-orbit coating applications and nano-manufacturing allows for 

surface coatings to be applied or renewed to recover optical and thermal properties. 

The suite of in-space manufacturing technologies listed in the catalog are still in development,, and represent the 

current pathfinding approach that NASA is pursing. Organizations interested in developing ISM technologies are 

invited to contact the POCs listed in the catalog.