A European group led by Surrey University’s Surrey Space Centre has carried out the first ever successful demonstration of space waste removal technology.
Designed, built and manufactured by a consortium including Airbus, ArianeGroup and Airbus-subsidiary Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) the so-called RemoveDEBRIS satellite, used a specially developed net to capture a deployed target simulating a piece of space debris.
A video of the test taken by the satellite (below) shows the net being fired at, and successfully smothering, the simulated debris, which is tumbling through space around 10 metres away from the spacecraft. During the trials, the net is detached from the satellite. However, the ultimate vision is that it would remain attached so that the satellite could drag the waste out of orbit.
The device was deployed from the International Space Station (ISS), having launched aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in April 2018.
As previously reported by The Engineer, space debris is a growing problem, with an estimated 7,600 tonnes of ‘space junk’ orbiting the Earth and posing a risk to satellites and other spacecraft. RemoveDEBRIS is one of a number of efforts worldwide to develop technology to address this problem.
Commenting on this initial trial Professor Guglielmo Aglietti, Director of the Surrey Space Centre, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of the net technology. While it might sound like a simple idea, the complexity of using a net in space to capture a piece of debris took many years of planning, engineering and coordination between the Surrey Space Centre, Airbus and our partners – but there is more work to be done. These are very exciting times for us all.”
Ingo Retat, Airbus RemoveDEBRIS project head, said: “To develop this net technology to capture space debris we spent 6 years testing in parabolic flights, in special drop towers and also thermal vacuum chambers. Our small team of engineers and technicians have done an amazing job moving us one step closer to clearing up low Earth orbit.”
The broader aim of the mission if to trial a range of different active debris removal technologies on mock target in low earth orbit. In the coming months, RemoveDEBRIS will test more so-called active debris removal (ADR) technologies including a vision-based navigation system that uses cameras and LiDaR technology to analyse and observe potential pieces of debris; the first harpoon capture technology used in orbit; and a drag-sail that will bring the spacecraft out of orbit and into the Earth’s atmosphere where it will be destroyed.
Just for the education of fellow Engineers, who may not be familiar with this element of textile technology: a ‘true’ net (and those used to catch fish, and at the back of ‘ sports’ goals) is a structure with a proper ‘knot’ at each junction. Very difficult to make and hence very expensive.
The other area is ballerina’s tu-tus: the structure of a true-net, used in their manufacture, is what makes then stand out from the body of the occupant. Another area (made upon a machine the widest within the textile industry) is for what are termed ‘flys’ on the stages of the World’s ballet and opera houses. Having a seam down the middle detracts from the scene being depicted.
Don’t know from whence this ‘satellite net ‘ was sourced? perhaps there is mileage in looking at perhaps more suitable structures, as described herewith?
This is a good idea but being put to wrong use.
Why don’t they look at the underlying problem another way. IE. Plan to reuse the ‘space junk’.
Don’t just, drag it out of orbit and destroy it during re-entry into earth’s atmosphere (that’s waste entirely). No, that’s plain crazy. Better still, plan ahead.
Instead, drag the ‘space junk’ into a suitable trajectory path which causes it to eventually crash land on the surface of the moon, ready for recycling at a later date!
Let’s face it, predictions of moon colonisation are plentiful and probably not so ‘pie in sky’ anymore. Therefore, lets prepare for the obvious need to have these vastly expensive rare earth materials already at our disposal, thus saving some cost of having to transport even more of our ever precious rare earth commodities into space, again and again.
Maybe a crazy idea now, you may think. But, history has shown us numerous times, that a different way of dealing with problems can pay dividends. This may even give some green credentials to an otherwise exorbitantly wasteful space program!
Have you considered the amount of energy that would need to be introduced into even a small piece of debris in Earth orbit to move into a Lunar impact trajectory? Ridiculously wasteful.
ref : concerned engineers left field idea – it may not be as crazy as is sounds? yes, it involves energy , but with careful planning , only just enough fuel may be needed to put the junk into a long, slow trajectory to intercept the moon at some point? When mankind decides to go back to the moon, we will still need to take some material and whatever cant be mined, so energy will still be expended, its only the timeliness that is in question – methink it a reasonable brainstorm idea and would be interested if a satellite controller could do the required feasibility math.