On June 25, 2024, three major European space industry companies signed contracts with ESA to develop large low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite platforms that meet Zero Debris standards.
Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space will design and develop zero-debris platforms for large LEO satellites, marking the initial step towards creating zero-debris production lines.
"It is essential to invest into the development of zero-debris compliant spacecraft platforms now. Platforms and their onboard debris prevention measures will have to become more failsafe to preserve the endangered lower Earth orbits for future use," says Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety at ESA.
"Working together with three long-standing industrial partners allows us to deliver on our promise to put a stop to future debris creation."
From Zero Debris aspirations to production
Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space have been consistent partners in the mission to achieve Zero Debris by 2030. They have collaborated with ESA towards ambitious and jointly defined goals to ensure space safety and sustainability.
ESA has taken a leading role in space sustainability with its Zero Debris approach, aiming to significantly limit debris proliferation in Earth and Lunar orbits by 2030 for all future missions, programs, and activities.
These efforts have already led to new design requirements for all ESA future missions. ESA's Space Debris Mitigation Standard, issued in 2023, represents the Agency's initial step towards Zero Debris by 2030.
Recently, twelve countries and more than a hundred companies, institutions, and organizations have committed to signing the Zero Debris Charter facilitated by ESA, including Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space.
"The space sector in Europe and beyond come together to show its commitment towards the Zero Debris by 2030 goals. The time has come to make them a reality, and we can only achieve this goal together," says Tiago Soares, Clean Space lead engineer at ESA.
"The implementation requires a collaborative effort of the Zero Debris community, stretching across many disciplines. We see the momentum of these Zero Debris efforts pick up steam as they become more concrete."
Technical needs and solutions to enable a zero-debris future are being detailed in the Technical Booklet currently under development by the Zero Debris community, facilitated by ESA. By joining forces as a Zero Debris community across the space sector, a Zero Debris future can be guaranteed.
With the technical targets clarified, it is time to build zero-debris satellites.
Building new LEO satellites
ESA's Operations and Earth Observation Directorates have jointly procured the 'Large LEO platforms evolution for Zero Debris Policy Implementation Phase 1'. The contracts with Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space are crucial for developing Zero Debris-ready satellites in congested low Earth orbits.
Each prime contractor will develop a standardized low-Earth orbit satellite platform that adheres to the zero-debris standards. This platform, or satellite bus, is the main component of a satellite onto which the payload, like scientific instruments, can be integrated.
The designed core architectures will form the basis of future satellites, which can be adjusted to meet specific mission goals.
Phase 1, now procured, involves developing the satellite platform to the System Requirement Review (SRR) level and will take about 18 months from its kick-off in June 2024. During this phase, the main technical options will be considered, and a baseline design will be established.
In Phase 2, the prime contractors will collaborate with further technology suppliers to integrate new solutions and bring their platforms to the level of a Preliminary Design Review (PDR), which evaluates and tests various practical aspects of the design.
Satellites, big and small
ESA is also focusing on technologies suitable for large spacecraft in low Earth orbits, such as those used for Earth Observation.
Parallel efforts are ongoing to find innovative ideas for designing CubeSats compliant with the Zero Debris targets, as well as other satellites of various sizes and in different orbits.
Whether for large or small satellites, the European space industry will be supported by ESA as we collectively transition towards the sustainable use of space.
Related Links
Zero Debris by 2030
Space Technology News - Applications and Research
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