20.500.12556/DiRROS-29231 On-orbit servicing as a future accelerator for small satellites Currently valued at around $600 billion, the space economy is expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, with vital terrestrial systems increasingly dependent on space infrastructure. Growth is largely driven by the rising deployment of small and medium satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), yet most are single-use and quickly decommissioned after failure, contributing to orbital debris and challenging sustainability. This article examines opportunities and challenges in developing orbital servicing infrastructure for small satellites, highlighting how such technologies can extend operational lifetimes, reduce replacement costs and enhance the reliability of future constellations, supporting the long-term development of the LEO space economy. orbital satellite servicing low Earth orbit space systems sustainability orbitalno servisiranje satelitov nizka Zemljina orbita trajnost vesoljskih sistemov true false true Nature Portfolio Združeno kraljestvo Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik © The Author(s) 2026 Neznano 2026-04-29 11:32:18 2026-04-29 11:32:18 2026-04-30 03:44:30 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Soavtor iz Slovenije: Uroš Cvelbar; Opis vira z dne 8. 4. 2026; str. 1-11 [article no.] 14 Vol. 2 2 Apr. 2026 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 2025-11-22 2025-12-25 2026-04-02 629.78 3059-3700 10.1038/s44453-025-00024-7 274503427 https://www.nature.com/articles/s44453-025-00024-7 1 5445613e-43ae-11f1-a4de-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=43728 RAZ_Levchenko_Igor_2026.pdf RAZ_Levchenko_Igor_2026.pdf 1 CD99761319CF2E95ABB4DDA4E6E3D5B4 e7b6670e334f91af959055a52c268bb0cb3e6060fb6d801cfc9fb7827b6eb885 d8637acb-43ae-11f1-a4de-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=43729 Institut Jožef Stefan 0 0 0