Clean Orbit Newsletter: Dec. 16, 2021
Astroscale reveals a new space environment management framework, Kayhan Space raises $3.7 million in seed funding, ISRO initiates space debris removal research & development
Routine space operations create countless pieces of space junk that pose mission-critical risks to humanity’s future in space. At this crucial time for space exploration, utilization, and development, Clean Orbit is dedicated to mitigating the risks that could jeopardize safe access to space.
A Space Environment Management (SEM) Framework
“The problem of space debris and the active management of the space environment is incredibly complex. Currently, there is little in the way of legal and economic structure beyond guiding principles to support expanding commercial space activities.
We shouldn’t continue to simply admire the problem as orbital safety reaches a critical juncture with a new commercial era unfolding. The potential for a robust space economy capable of sustained growth is dependent on a step by step approach to actively manage the space environment itself.
So, let’s break Space Environment Management down to its bare components and make real progress today and into the near term. SEM was first conceptualized by Dr. Darren McKnight and Tim Maclay in 2019. Below is our take of an achievable Space Environment Management framework. We encourage you to reach out to Astroscale U.S. to learn more about how our collective efforts within this framework can re-route us from the status quo towards a more sustainable path.”
Download Astroscale’s infographic here
Orbital Safety: The Challenges of Surviving Space Junk
Hackaday |
“Because the debris in some orbits will hang around for decades or longer, we may eventually reach a point where active removal of this debris becomes a necessity. This is where orbital mechanics and the incredible amount of space in, well, space make things very tricky. Even though the risk of orbital debris is high, because satellites and debris are both moving around quite quickly, the density is very low. That’s why astronauts on the ISS don’t see bits of debris zipping by all the time.
This sparseness makes active debris removal a chore, and explains why recent high-profile missions such as RemoveDEBRIS, ClearSpace-1, and others focus on large debris that travels in previously known orbits. They often require satellites to move within a certain distance from the target, and perform delicate operations. As previously established, the largest threat comes from the debris that cannot be easily tracked, which would thus seem to largely defeat these clean-up methods.
Here perhaps the best method is to not actively hunt these objects down, but to passively catch them using an expansive system, much like how a spider uses a web to catch unsuspecting prey. This is what Russian startup StartRocket with their Foam Debris Catcher has in mind. The use of foam to capture orbital debris is not new, with an ESA report from 2011 also covering the use of foam in depth.”
South Australian observatory to monitor space debris
“The Oculus Observatory, built by Silentium Defence in SA's Murray region, delivers a wider field of view than traditional facilities providing high-quality data for more informed decision making, traffic management and collision avoidance in space.
"Unlike traditional space surveillance technologies that provide a narrow view of debris and objects in orbit, the sensors at our observatory provide coverage of an area the size of South Australia," Silentium Defence Chief Executive James Palmer said.”
"To manoeuvre a satellite safely in space takes time. It is a costly exercise that can limit a satellite's life," he said.
"Any decision to manoeuvre must be based on the most accurate, up-to-date and informed data, and that's what our new observatory provides."
The observatory is the first of a planned network of similar facilities to be deployed across the globe.”
Space traffic analytics startup Kayhan Space raises $3.7 million in seed funding
“Kayhan Space, a startup based in Boulder, Colorado, announced Dec. 14 it has closed a $3.75 million seed funding round. The company developed a cloud-based collision-avoidance software service for low Earth orbit satellite operators.”
“The company’s space situational awareness and collision avoidance system, called Kayhan Pathfinder, is offered as a subscription-based software as a service. The analytics platform ingests data from U.S. Space Command’s public space catalog, commercial data providers and satellite operators’ own GPS positioning signals, and uses artificial intelligence algorithms to simulate scenarios and generate maneuver plans for operators so they can avoid collisions.”
“It’s a very unique time in the space industry,” he said. “You have a lot of new companies that don’t necessarily have all the resources. They do the math and they realize that maybe they should consider purchasing a third-party capability that is focused in this area.”
“We believe that we are going to keep seeing that shift the more congested space becomes,” he said.”
Space Café Recap “Moriba’s Vox Populi 08”
“In this session of Space Cafè “Moriba’s Vox Populi 08” Dr. Moriba Jah talked about the Russian Anti-Satellite Test – What are the intended and unintended consequences? with:”
Alex Fielding, CEO and Chairman at Privateer Space
Artem Mokhnatkin, Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics – Russian Academy of Sciences,
Holger Krag, Head of the Space Safety Programme Office at ESA
Michael Byers, co-director of the Outer Space Institute (OSI)
Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan, Distinguished Fellow & Head of the Nuclear and Space Policy Initiative, at Observer Research Foundation
Col. Scott Brodeur, Director, National Space Defense Center and Joint Task Force Space Defense Director of Operations
Victoria Newberry, Head of School at Aka`ula School
The participants addressed a variety of topics, including:
Does this dissuade potential space investors and actors from participating in space exploration and commerce?
Is this ASAT a clear example of Harmful Interference?
How would the UN convention of liability and damage play out given this ASAT and potential satellite loss or anomalies?
ISRO initiated research and development activities for active removal of space debris: Govt
“Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh told the Lower House that ISRO follows the guidelines laid down by the United Nations as well as by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee for space debris mitigation.
The guidelines include post-mission disposal of satellites and rocket bodies efficiently to ensure the space debris produced by India does not stay in orbit.
"ISRO has also initiated research and development activities on active debris removal to extract space debris from space," Singh said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha [Parliament of India].”
The Clean Orbit Team thanks our GEO Patron: Zoena Howland for supporting our mission to keep humanity’s use of the space environment safe and sustainable. If you’d like to join this mission and help make a difference as part of our community, consider subscribing to us on Patreon!
Clean Orbit advocates for proactive, sustainable solutions to the growing threat of space debris in low earth orbit. Follow our newsletter for the latest developments in Space Traffic Management (STM), Active Debris Removal (ADR), and orbital close calls.