Flexible Path to the Moon: Science, Commerce, and Security at Beyond-LEO Earth Orbits

The following lists illustrate some of the science, commerce, and security activities that can take place at, or that can be enabled by capabilities at, Geosyncronous orbit and other beyond-LEO satellite orbits.

Science

• Deploy, assemble, inspect, and/or service GEO science missions (for example, certain NASA and NOAA satellites observing Earth from GEO)


• Inspect GEO satellites. This could include taking samples of old satellites to assess micrometeorite damage, for example. This type of analysis can also be useful for economic and security purposes.

Commerce

• Deploy, assemble, inspect, and/or service GEO commercial missions (for example, communications satellites)


• Enable commercial providers of satellite assembly or servicing capabilities
• Space tourism - history or engineering tour of current or historical GEO satellites (no touching the exhibits, please)
  
• jump-start capabilities that can be useful for commercial missions for other destinations (for example: fuel depots, satellite deployment, assembly, inspection, and/or servicing nodes, low-cost space access, etc)

Security

• Deploy, assemble, inspect, and/or service GEO security missions (for example, military satellites)


• Observe other nations' satellites


• Jump-start capabilities that can be generally useful for security missions (for example: fuel depots, satellite deployment, assembly, inspection, and/or servicing nodes, low-cost space access, etc)