23–25 Oct 2018
ESTEC
Europe/Amsterdam timezone

Controlled re-entry trade-off for LEO satellites

25 Oct 2018, 14:20
20m
Erasmus building (ESTEC)

Erasmus building

ESTEC

Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
Technologies for Space Debris Mitigation Space Debris Mitigation

Speaker

Sébastien Perrault

Description

With the growing number of satellites launched in Space, Agencies have implemented rules to remove satellites at their End-of-Life from space by themselves or actively with Active Debris Removal missions. However, this poses a new threat on Earth, with surviving parts after re-entry, and in space, as they can collide with other objects while decreasing their altitude. Complying with these regulations also impacts the overall mission as it requires more fuel and more complex systems which have to be functioning at End-of-Life, meaning sometimes decades after being lunched.

In this study, one asses different systems which can be embedded on a satellite in LEO, evaluates their impacts on the system and, then, proposes a trade-off of the different options. Specifically, one focuses on three categories of spacecraft: small (750kg), medium (1500kg) and heavy (4000kg). The main propulsion system can be monopropellant-based (hydrazine), Hall Effect Thrusters or an Arcjet. However, one considered that the final burn had to be made with monopropellant-based thrusters in order to have a thrust high enough to perform a controlled re-entry. It may require a second independent propulsion system, or one using elements from the main propulsion system. Pressurization is done in blowdown mode or with an active pressure regulation. Finally, one analyses the impact and potential benefits of injecting a satellite at a lower altitude and then increasing it with the main propulsion system of the spacecraft.
Considering all those elements, one proposes a recommended configuration for the different categories of spacecraft chosen.

Primary authors

Presentation materials