DSTL leads effort to de-orbit satellites

CanX-7 is part of the Daedalus experiment, an effort led by scientists at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) to tackle space junk.

According to NASA, over 500,000 items are tracked as they orbit Earth, yet fewer than 5,000 are operational satellites. Travelling at speeds of up to 17,500mph, relatively small pieces of orbital debris can damage a satellite or a spacecraft.

DSTl says the most congested area sits in low Earth orbit (LEO) where collisions can cause further debris. If this problem is not addressed, space junk threatens to make space exploration and satellite launches impossible. It also poses a hazard to existing satellites, including those used by Britain’s armed forces.

To tackle this problem, the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has proposed that all LEO satellites should be de-orbited within 25 years.

De-orbiting rockets can do the job but are expensive. As part of a collaboration with industry, government and academia, DSTL space scientists are leading the exploration of alternative methods.