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Concepts for the largest future space observatories have reached the limit of the most capable launch vehicles likely to be available over the next two decades. Moreover, unless there is a paradigm change in how future “flagships” are designed, developed, and deployed, it will be a major challenge to afford them. At the same time, significant advances are taking place in the coming decades that have the potential to enable high-priority major space observatories, including (1) significant cost reduction in medium-lift vehicles; (2) continuing advances in capabilities for robotic/telerobotic servicing and assembly; (3) deployment in cis-lunar space of a human habitation and operations facility; and (4) advances in the capabilities of scientific instruments. Taken together, these developments offer in the relative near term opportunities for creative designs for future major observatories to allow sophisticated on-orbit upgrade, as well as eventual space assembly. This talk will summarize work to date on servicing and space assembly, including HST, ISS, and robotic programs, as well as near-future developments that may be the only path to the most ambitious space observatories. Finally, although at present relatively little work has been undertaken on the topic, I will note some ways in which space servicing and assembly might enable lower-cost “flagship” missions.
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