TechDemoSat-1 captures drag sail deployment
Technology designed to mitigate against the build up of space debris has been deployed and photographed on-board TechDemoSat-1.
An image showing the successful deployment of the de-orbit drag sail on the 150kg satellite has been released by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL).
The deployment of Cranfield University’s Icarus-1 drag sail marks the end of mission operations for SSTL’s TechDemoSat-1 small satellite which was launched into a 635km Low Earth Orbit in 2014.
Sarah Parker, Managing Director of SSTL, said “It is fantastic to see an image of TechDemoSat’s deployed drag sail captured by the onboard inspection camera. This in-orbit image of a deployed drag sail on one of our satellites is a first for us and is a fitting culmination of mission operations for this highly innovative small satellite.”
TechDemoSat-1, an in-orbit technology demonstration small satellite mission, is said to have validated eight UK spacecraft instruments and software payloads and also acquired ocean wind speed datasets using GNSS reflectometry.
According to SSTL, the deployed sail measures approximately 6.7m2 and has been designed to significantly increase the spacecraft’s rate of orbital decay, in compliance with Space Debris Mitigation best practice and guidelines.
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
The EU and UK will be moving towards using Grid Forming inverters with Energy Storage that has an inherent ability to act as a source of Infinite...