Clean Orbit Newsletter: Jan. 27, 2022
A derelict SpaceX Falcon9 booster will crash into the moon in March, Chinese govt. plans to launch 13,000 satellite megaconstellation, Astroscale pauses demo debris removal due to anomaly
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A SpaceX rocket booster will soon crash into the moon after ‘chaotic orbit’ for 7 years, experts say
“Bill Gray was tracking a SpaceX rocket orbiting near the moon from his home in Maine when his computer software gave him a reading he didn’t expect. Gray said he had kept track of the “chaotic orbit” of the Falcon 9 booster, which launched in 2015 as part of a mission to send a space weather satellite on a million-mile journey. The rocket’s derelict second stage has since hurtled through space for years.”
“As more players get into deep space, we need to have more attention paid to the junk that we’re leaving out there,” said Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics who confirmed Gray’s findings. “It’s not as much about what SpaceX does now because it’s a perfectly standard practice to leave your junk in deep Earth orbit and just abandon it.”
“Meteorologist Eric Berger explained in Ars Technica that the rocket also “lacked the energy to escape the gravity of the Earth-Moon system,” which resulted in the booster’s chaotic orbit for nearly seven years.”
“For launches of spacecraft intended to orbit the Earth, the best practice is to reserve enough fuel in a rocket’s upper stage to return it to Earth’s atmosphere, where it will burn up. This is what SpaceX and most Western rocket companies customarily do to help control debris in low Earth orbit,” Berger wrote. “The moon, of course, has no atmosphere for the stage to burn up in.”
China sparks fresh spying fears as it reveals plans to launch 13 THOUSAND satellites into space which it claims will form 'megaconstellation' and provide powerful 5G internet
“First details of this megaconstellation were released late in 2020, when the government applied to the International Telecommunication Union for spectrum allocation - for two low Earth orbit satellite constellations.”
“These had been named 'GW' and totaled 12,992 satellites, made up of sub-constellations orbiting from 310 miles up to 711 miles.”
“It isn't just the Chinese government launching satellites to Low Earth Orbit, Beijing-based Galaxy Space plans to launch six communications satellites this year.”
“There seems to be a competition among non-state-owned operators in China, that could eventually evolve into the new national satellite project.”
“The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND), has called for the orderly development of small satellites.”
“What isn't clear is whether the megaconstellation will be made up of these smaller company launches, or run independently - further adding to the LEO population.”
“As well as concerns over the true purpose of this global network of satellites, it also increases the risk of in-space collisions, that could damage other spacecraft.”
Astroscale pauses debris-removal demo following anomaly
“Astroscale said Jan. 26 it has paused an attempt to autonomously capture an in-orbit satellite for the first time after detecting “anomalous spacecraft conditions.”
“The company’s 175-kilogram servicer spacecraft was preparing to make the attempt Jan. 25, after separating from a 17-kilogram client satellite acting as a piece of debris for a series of on-orbit demonstrations.”
“While the servicer had successfully used its magnetic mechanism to release and recapture the client in an Aug. 25 test, this demonstration aimed to use autonomous capabilities for a larger-scale mission.”
“However, Astroscale said the company detected an anomaly after the servicer began “autonomous relative navigation, maintaining a constant and safe distance from the client spacecraft over multiple orbits” as the company prepared for recapture.”
“The company added it still plans to continue the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) and “will provide an update as soon as possible.”
“In addition to being autonomous, this mission aimed to recapture the client spacecraft after releasing it to a much greater distance than the August test, while employing full-scale rendezvous and proximity operations for the first time.”
Rogue Space and Orbit Fab Sign Letter of Intent to Lease a Laura Orbot™
“Rogue Space Systems Corporation announced the signing of a Bilateral Letter of Intent with Orbit Fab, Inc., the Gas Stations in Space™ company. Rogue will provide observation services using their Laura Orbital Robot (Orbot™) spacecraft for a future Orbit Fab Demonstration Mission. Additionally, Rogue has agreed to outfit their Orbots™ with RAFTI fueling ports to support future on-orbit refueling from Orbit Fab. This agreement between Orbit Fab and Rogue sets the stage to expand each company’s in-space capabilities and increase cooperation by joining together to create “Service Stations in Space.”
“Rogue’s Laura Orbot™ will join a future Orbit Fab mission to capture the refueling events. Once the two space systems take their positions, Rogue’s Laura spacecraft will monitor Orbit Fab’s mission by perching in various stand-off locations around Orbit Fab’s spacecraft to capture high-definition images and videos. Rogue’s Orbot™ fleet is supported by AI-Enabled Sensory Observation Platform (AESOP), a Rogue technology that ensures customer satellites are serviced safely. As part of the agreement, Rogue Space and Orbit Fab will collaboratively formulate a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).”
“Orbit Fab’s Rapidly Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface (RAFTI™) is a fueling port that enables spacecraft to be refueled in orbit and can be used as a drop-in replacement for existing satellite fill-and-drain valves. Orbit Fab will provide Rogue with RAFTI™ refueling ports for their Orbots™ and will be equipped on Rogue’s larger classes of Orbots™, such as Fred. Orbit Fab and Rogue are cooperating to locate Orbot™ “attendants” near Orbit Fab Fuel Tankers to provide additional support for customers of both companies. Together, Orbit Fab and Rogue are expanding and developing true in-space infrastructure for the rapidly expanding space economy.”
Space debris from a Russian anti-satellite missile test came within 47 FEET of knocking out China's Tsinghua science satellite this week, Beijing claims
“The near-miss between Tsinghua and the piece of debris, called 49863, occurred at 02:49 GMT on Tuesday (January 18), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has said, based on tracking data.”
“The two objects passed each other at a relative speed of more than 11,700 miles per hour, according to CNSA.”
“Russia's debris came from its 4,410-pound Cosmos 1408 satellite, which the country obliterated in November during its 'anti-satellite missile test'.”
“According to CNSA, the distance between the two objects leading up to Tuesday was getting closer each time they complete an orbit of Earth.”
“On Tuesday, the possibility of collision between the two became 'very high', which is 'alarmingly dangerous', according to Global Times, when they came within 47 feet of each other at a relative speed of 3.27 miles per second (11,788 miles per hour).”
There’s a junkyard in space, and this University of Utah team has discovered a way to clean it up
“Until recently, the most common recourse has been mere debris tracking and avoidance. But when you’re talking about multi-gazillion dollars’ worth of technology up there, that’s kind of a big watch-and-cross-your-fingers gamble.”
“Humanity’s approach to space debris could change, though, thanks to an innovative breakthrough by a team at the University of Utah. Led by mechanical engineering professor Jake J. Abbott, their research and development could make it possible to clean out the atmospheric junkyard.”
“Their breakthrough technology is described in a paper published October 2021 in the Nature science journal, titled “Dexterous magnetic manipulation of conductive non-magnetic objects.”
“Funded by the National Science Foundation, Abbott and his team began researching the concept of moving non-magnetic objects with magnetic fields about three years ago. “By spinning magnets, we have a way of pushing things that are not magnetic,” he explains. Abbott and his team started with their premise, worked through the numerical simulation, and spent years doing physical experimentation. And now that they’ve proven the approach, what’s next?”
“I am setting up collaborations with companies who are interested in this problem of space debris,” Abbott says. “I don’t want to disclose details of it, but it is moving along. Once those collaborations are in place, it will be a part of the technology that will eventually go into robots in space, whose job it is to figure out how to get the junk out of space.”
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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.