Speakers
Description
Addressing Digital Pollution: Strategic Sustainability in the Modern Space Economy
In today's interconnected digital landscape, our constant engagement with the digital sphere has led to a surge in digital pollution. As consumers increasingly grasp the environmental implications of their digital activities, a new awareness is emerging. The burgeoning space economy, evolving towards a commodity-style market, intensifies the need for standardized tools. Amid this dynamic landscape, there is a pressing demand for solutions that facilitate strategic decision-making from both an environmental and economic standpoint. New Horizon (https://newhorizonsrl.com/) emerges as a response to this demand, providing a unique and essential tool for navigating the complexities of sustainability and cost efficiency in the burgeoning space industry.
Space-related activities, such as Earth observation, contribute to environmental impacts. As reliance on space technologies grows, sustainable practices must balance digital connectivity with environmental responsibility. Space sustainability includes addressing space debris, reducing launch costs, and improving spacecraft efficiency. The European Union is drafting regulations to integrate eco-design and responsible space activity management, aiming to certify companies adhering to sustainability standards with an EU Space Label.
LCA, LCC and Digital Twin of Data Transmission through orbit eco-design
Two key methodologies in our proposal are Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC). LCA evaluates the environmental impacts of products, activities, or processes across their entire life cycle, from production to disposal. LCC, similarly, calculates the total costs incurred throughout a product's life cycle. These methodologies enable the identification of optimal solutions from both environmental and economic perspectives. A Digital Twin in our software represents a virtual model of a real-world system, focusing on sustainability and economic aspects. This model is updated in real-time with data from the physical system, enabling comprehensive analysis and evaluation. Specifically, in data transmission, the digital twin assesses the environmental and economic sustainability, simulating various scenarios to optimize energy consumption, resource use, and associated costs. This aligns with the increasing emphasis on sustainable practices in the digital era.
Orbit Ecodesign: An approach to the design and management of space missions that emphasizes the selection of optimal orbits to enhance environmental sustainability. Central to this approach is the real-time analysis of the immediate environmental impact of the space mission, allowing for the simulation of various potential trajectories or orbits. This enables the selection of the most sustainable option, considering the risk of potential collisions with debris, which could shorten the satellite’s lifespan, fuel consumption, and interactions with unpredictable natural phenomena (such as solar storms) identified through specific telemetry patterns rather than predictable equations. By selecting more sustainable orbits, Orbit Ecodesign aims to ensure the long-term usability of space environments, prevent the proliferation of space debris, and improve the safety and cleanliness of space.
SustainSat: Our Solution
Our platform, SustainSat, leverages Digital Twins to provide a holistic view integrating environmental and economic considerations. Despite the prevalence of eco-design tools in other sectors, none specifically address the unique challenges of the space industry. Our goal is to integrate data from the entire lifecycle of space infrastructure, from design to deorbiting, using megabytes of data as the functional unit, tailored for satellite service providers.
Strategic Partnerships and Customization
We have strategic partnerships with key players in space sustainability, granting access to essential spatial data and leveraging the Strathclyde Space Systems Database (SSSD) for modeling. This database, provided by Professor Massimiliano Vasile from the University of Strathclyde, forms an excellent starting point for our modeling efforts. Customization for specific customer case studies is part of the development process. Our Decision Support System (DSS) and its AI engine are designed for versatile applications, including eco-design of orbits.
Products in Development
1. SustainSat CSM (Cost and Sustainability Monitor): This system centralizes and monitors data on costs and impacts.
2. SustainSat OPS (Optimization and Prediction System): This product uses AI to process data and provide improvement solutions in real-time, aiming to enhance Orbit Ecodesign by selecting the most sustainable trajectories.
3. Autonomous Satellite Guidance System: Our long-term goal is to develop a third product focused on minimizing environmental impact through autonomous satellite guidance, for which we have a patent application.
Current Development: SustainSat CSM and SustainSat OPS
SustainSat CSM consists of two modules. Module B, the system's engine, runs on a Linux cloud server, calculating real costs and impacts of space missions in real-time with updates every 5 seconds. It centralizes primary data in a database provided by Module A, installed in the company. The cloud software can connect with multiple systems, designed for flexibility and high cybersecurity, using the OPC-UA protocol to read data without entering the company's network.
The model follows a logical flow with five macro areas: Feasibility + Preliminary definition, Detailed definition + Qualification and production, Launch and commissioning, Utilization phase, and Disposal. Users will find a dashboard summarizing total costs and impacts, with capabilities to select and analyze specific areas independently or cumulatively over time. Reports can be generated for detailed analysis.
SustainSat OPS is being developed with AI for real-time analysis, aiming to support Orbit Ecodesign by providing solutions for selecting the most sustainable trajectories. The long-term objective is the development of an Autonomous Satellite Guidance System to choose the most sustainable trajectory autonomously, minimizing environmental impact.
By selecting more sustainable orbits and managing the environmental impact through real-time analysis and flexible data integration, Orbit Ecodesign aims to ensure the long-term usability of space environments, prevent the proliferation of space debris, and improve the safety and cleanliness of space.
Validation and Future Directions
We already have a first validator, Apogeo Space, supporting our initial implementations. Our platform aims to connect various information from space infrastructure efficiently, studying a data aggregation method for a global visualization of the system. This allows for effective and sensible intervention on the infrastructure, promoting both environmental sustainability and economic efficiency in the space industry. We are confident that we can present a first prototype at the Clean Space Industry Days if our proposal is accepted.
