REX: An Autonomous Resource Exchange System for Optimizing Microgravity Manufacturing Efficiency

The advancement of microgravity manufacturing necessitates innovative systems capable of optimizing resource management in space. In Orbit Aerospace is developing the Resource Exchange Module (REX), an integrated system designed to facilitate the seamless storage, sorting, and transfer of payloads between orbital platforms and re-entry vehicles. This paper presents the design and functionality of REX, highlighting its autonomous capabilities that reduce the degrees of freedom, thereby reducing potential failure points and operational costs. By leveraging reusable launch technologies and an automated approach, the REX system aims to significantly reduce payload delivery costs by up to 75% and wait times by 66%. The cost function considers key variables such as the number of experiments, launch frequency, payload capacity, and preparation time, providing a comprehensive framework for understanding the system's economic impact. The findings, through hardware-in-loop (HIL) testing, illustrate REX's potential to revolutionize microgravity manufacturing, fostering economic growth in the space industry and enabling new applications on Earth. This paper discusses the implications of REX for future space missions and the broader market for microgravity research and manufacturing.