Vibration isolation versus vibration compensation on multiple payload platforms

There are many future science instruments with high performance pointing (sub microradian) requirements. To build a separate spacecraft for each payload is prohibitively expensive, especially as not all instruments need to be in space for a long duration. Putting multiple payloads on a single basebody that supplies power, communications, and orbit maintenance is cheaper, easier to service, and allows for the spacecraft bus to be reused as new instruments become available to replace old instruments. Once several payloads are mounted together, the articulation of one may disturb another. The situation is even more extreme when the basebody serves multiple purposes, such as space station which has construction, satellite servicing, and man motion adding to the disturbance environment. The challenge then is to maintain high performance at low cost in a multiple payload environment. The goal is to supply many future science instruments with high performance pointing (sub microradian). The options are independent spacecraft for each payload (expensive); or multiple payloads on a single basebody (cheaper, easier to service, basebody reusable for several short duration payloads). The problems are one payload can disturb another, and other activities create large disturbances (construction, satellite servicing, and man motion)