{
  "abstract": "Megawatt-class orbital data centers require continuous maintenance, replacement, inventory, and service capacity in addition to spacecraft power/thermal systems. We formulate an analytical lifecycle framework for permanent/transient failures, modular orbital replacement units, robotic servicing, spare inventory, scheduled technology refresh, correlated faults, cybersecurity, optional human support. The model combines nonhomogeneous component hazards, capacity-weighted availability, multiclass robotic-service capacity, Poisson base-stock inventory, replacement-flow accounting, human-support break-even relations. For a 1 MW cluster with 10 active 100 kW nodes, 1 reserve node, ~200 5 kW compute cartridges, low, nominal, high deployed-mass allocations span ~50-75 kg/kW. Assumptions yield 70.2 random or life-limited interventions and 323-349 planned refresh operations/(MW-year), for a total of 393-419 standardized operations/(MW-year). Analysis gives a first-generation logistics of 5.3-9.0 t/(MW-year), with a nominal case of ~ 6.6 t/(MW year), 560-700 productive robot-hors/(MW-year). Planned refresh exceeds random replacement under the stated component populations, hazards, 3-15-year intervals. At ~400 standardized operations/(MW-year), the post-internal-recovery exception probability is <$10^{-3}$, with an objective near $10^{-4}$ at large scale; terminal non-recovery $p_U$ requires a smaller mission-level allocation. The target catastrophic-loss hazard for a 100 kW node is 0.01-0.03 1/yr. Parametric workload and cost cases place contingency visits at 10s of MWs, periodic campaigns at 10-100s of MWs, dedicated personnel at several 100 MWs to GWs. The reference first deployment is uncrewed, autonomously fault-managed, robotically maintainable, supported by specific inventory based on a 6-month replenishment horizon, compatible with later human access without permanent habitation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2608.27499",
  "author_total": 1,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Slava G. Turyshev"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7tv3vx59ycccs.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2608.27499",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "7tv3vx59ycccs",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27499",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "physics.gen-ph"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2213|Reliability and Maintenance Optimization"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7204779623",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2608.27499",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-08-27",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7tv3vx59ycccs.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
      "native_id": "2608.27499",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.27499"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:physics.gen-ph",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Operations, Maintenance, and Industrial Scaling of MW-Class Orbital Data Centers",
  "title_text": "Operations, Maintenance, and Industrial Scaling of MW-Class Orbital Data Centers",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:22Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/7tv3vx59ycccs",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}