Affordable commercial service platforms in space focusing on customer
affordability, quality microgravity services, innovation and combining
five emerging space technologies. The invention provides an integrated
approach to microgravity services in orbit. First, the reusable launch
vehicle (RLV) offers affordable transportation services, platform
reboost, and eliminates platform subsystems of propulsion, RCS, liquid
storage/resupply, and the like. Second, deployable structures are not
heavy for the launch, but expand in orbit. Third, orbital phone networks
offer customers control of unmanned experiments. Fourth, an enhanced
robotic system transfers payloads. Fifth, manufactured thin film solar
cells in orbit offer advantages including weight/cost reductions. The
orbital service platform has a low initial cost, expands as the market
demands, is repairable, offers quality unmanned microgravity, leads to
production facilities using similar hardware and offers numerous
affordable commercial services.