 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| . |  |
. |
 by Staff Writers London, UK (SPX) Dec 13, 2018
Astroscale UK Ltd has signed an agreement with ESA to exchange data and expertise related to space debris collision avoidance, environmental monitoring of debris and the development of monitoring techniques. There are more than 750 000 pieces of debris larger than 1 cm in size in Earth orbit today; any impact with a functioning satellite, like those used for vital telecom or weather forecasting services, is potentially mission ending. One major source of debris are explosions and breakups from the approximately 3000 defunct satellites and large rocket upper stages now in orbit. Studies have demonstrated that the situation can be stabilised, but this means that approximately five of these derelict objects must be actively removed from orbit each year. The Astroscale/ESA technical agreement relates to Astroscale's 'End-of-Life Service by Astroscale- demonstration' (ELSA-d) mission. ELSA-d will consist of two spacecraft, a Chaser and a Target, stacked together for launch and initial deployment into orbit. Then, the Chaser will repeatedly release and capture the Target in a series of live demonstrations to prove the technology necessary for debris removal, including rendezvous and docking and proximity operations. Under this no-funds-exchanged agreement, ESA will provide Astroscale with collision assessments for the ELSA-d Chaser satellite, including collision avoidance manoeuvre recommendations and screening. This is similar to the services provided for ESA's own and other European missions by ESA's Space Debris Office, located in Darmstadt, Germany. ESA will also present a request for tracking support for the ELSA-d Target and Chaser satellites to the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), which will include both the Target and Chaser on the ILRS' list of objects to be followed. Astroscale will install satellite laser ranging reflectors on the Chaser and Target satellites to enable high-precision orbit determination and provide GPS measurements at least twice a day. Director of Astroscale UK Ltd, John Auburn, commented, "Astroscale is launching its pioneering ELSA-d mission in early 2020 and is delighted to work with ESA in several crucial technical areas. ELSA-d is scheduled to be operational for around six months, so it is great to utilise its time in orbit to collect useful scientific data in addition to testing our de-orbiting technologies." "The additional data collected from the instrumentation on ELSA-d will provide Astroscale and ESA with vital orbit and manoeuvre information." The agreement also provides ESA with access to camera time over three observation periods. The camera will be used to test the principle of detecting small pieces of space debris crossing the field of view, which will generate important data to be used by ESA in developing a future, larger optical instrument. ESA and Astroscale will further work together on the feasibility of the observation approach and identify a workable solution. In return, ESA will provide support and advice on its flight-proven ground control software products that will be used by ELSA-d, primarily through the review of mission control design documentation and advice on configuration and system validation and testing. + For more about ESA's space debris activities please visit here
The countries that have the most junk in Space London, UK (SPX) Nov 30, 2018 Space is a mysterious place where many have not ventured to. Even though it is beyond Earth and humans have not inhabited there, we still need to strive to maintain its beauty and natural environment. Considering many people haven't visited Space and it is pretty much untouched, there are many satellites, debris and parts of rocket that orbit our Earth. But who does this Space junk actually belong to? Well, data from Space Track has allowed RS Components to analyse just how many bits o ... read more
|
|||||||||||||
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
Google
