Since the beginning of the space era, the amount of debris generated in low Earth orbit (LEO) has been increasing. ESA statistics show there are an estimated 130 million objects classed as lethal non-trackable debris and more than 2,600 non-functioning satellites. Analysis has shown that stabilising the space debris population can only be achieved by maintaining high PMD (Post Mission...
ESA's vision towards a sustainable and competitive space transportation ecosystem relies on an optimised fleet of reusable launchers injecting payloads on Earth and Lunar parking orbits, combined with a "hub & spoke" space logistics network: with space tugs to reach the final orbits (e.g., for constellations phasing, exploration missions) and orbital infrastructures to support in-orbit...
The ClearSpace-1 mission, as one of the main activity area of the European Space Agency’s ADRIOS program, will develop a demonstration to rendezvous, capture, secure and deorbit another spacecraft. The client will be the ESA-owned PROBA-1 spacecraft, operating flawlessly meanwhile for more than 20 years. The mission is developed as an in-orbit demonstration mission funded by the European Space...
In the last years GMV, under ESA contracts and in collaboration with AVS, has been and is still, designing and developing multiple technologies for ADR. Among those MICE, Mechanical Interface for end-of-life CapturE, currently qualified and already on orbit carried by the AVS’s LUR-1 S/C, and CAT, Return Capture Payload Bay, whose bread board has been just tested and validated within the...
e.Inspector, a GSTP smallsat mission, successfully closed its phase B in July 2024. The mission is developed by a consortium composed by Leonardo SpA, T4i, Leaf Space and led by Politecnico di Milano. The mission will flyaround with increasing proximity from 1km to 100m a debris, taking images in the visible and thermal bands to adequately reconstruct its status and test multispectral image...
For a sustainable future in-space ecosystem space mobility must be increased and, in this concept, space transportation vehicles (ISTVs) present the core element. ISTVs would open the door to a variety of servicing opportunities, in which the overall accessibility of failed or retired satellites is increased. Replacement frequencies of spacecrafts are reduced by refuelling ISTVs, as well as...
The benefits of In-Orbit Servicing are significantly enhanced by attending to multiple client satellites in a single mission, leading to increased cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency. By enabling a single servicer spacecraft to visit multiple clients during each mission, operational cadence is improved, and costs are distributed across multiple tasks.
This presentation demonstrates...
The Space Rider System (SRS) is an affordable, independent, re-usable, uncrewed, end-to-end European transportation system for routine access to and return from Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Initially conceived to be mainly a commercial exploitation medium dedicated to host PLs and to perform in orbit experiments (with the capability to return them back to Earth), its concept can be extended to serve...
The concept of a circular economy within the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) environment is increasingly gaining traction, driven by the innovative new modular concepts coming out of the new space GEO platform manufacturers. This approach emphasizes sustainability and efficiency, maximizing the utility of resources already present in space and minimising waste, but practical applications are...
Astroscale’s vision is the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations. Astroscale is well known for its emergent debris removal services including ELSA-d (one of the world’s first key demonstrations of magnetic capture and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations – RPO), ELSA-M (multi-client commercial end of life servicing platform) and UK ADR (planned mission...
Thales Alenia Space in the UK (TASitUK) is playing a key role in the development of sustainable space missions systems in Europe through involvement in key IOS missions and studies focused on Propulsion.
TASitUK is contributing to multiple projects involving refuelling systems to understand the best system designs for propellant transfer between spacecraft including operational constraints,...
Refuelling is a crucial enabler for mitigating the space debris problem and promoting a more sustainable use of space. Orbit Fab is developing an orbital infrastructure designed to provide a ubiquitous supply of propellant for all in-orbit assets, both governmental and commercial, extending their lifespan and reducing the need for deorbit and replacement. This vision will end the single use...
OHB Italia is leading the development of the Grappling and Docking Interface (GDI) for ESA’s In-Space-Proof-of-Concept 1 Mission (InSPoC-1), within the OHB consortium. The mission development has completed the Phase B1, following the conclusion of an intensive breadboarding test campaign.
The design of two different Grappling and Docking Interface architectures were outlined, and their...
The space industry has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years, marked by an increasing number of satellites being deployed into Earth's orbit annually. These satellites provide critical services such as telecommunications, imaging, and navigation. However, the rapid expansion of this industry has also led to a significant increase in hazards associated with space debris. Currently,...
In recent years, there has been a considerable increase in interest in the sustainable development of the space sector. Public awareness of the space debris problem within the context of future space logistics has significantly driven the development of solutions to address this critical issue.
SENER Aeroespacial is committed to playing a key role in addressing this challenge. The company...
As the number of satellites and the complexity of space missions increase, the need for standardized mechanical interfaces results as a crucial aspect for facilitate interoperability, reduce costs and enhance mission flexibility. This aspect is particular important for the In Orbit servicing missions were refurbishment or deorbiting of existing satellites are expected to help to improve the...
In recent years, the space sector has undergone a deep transformation. A few concepts from the “New Space” paradigm are playing a pivotal role: cost reduction through economies of scale, intensive use of COTS, standardisation and accelerated development cycles are among the most relevant ones.
A second transformation wave will need from a comprehensive on-orbit transportation and servicing...
The current trend and interest in sustainable space is crystallizing the efforts of European space stakeholders. By combining new technologies or new concepts with use cases already identified and considered as business cases (OOS – On Orbit Servicing and ISAM – In-Space Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing) in the short, medium and long term, potential opportunities and applications increase....
The upsurge of innovative and commercial NewSpace ventures and general trends in the space industry suggest a move toward space industrialization, taking space infrastructure and related logistics to new horizons with challenges and opportunities in technology, systems, missions, operations, and business. By and large, these developments and concepts will benefit from collaborative design and...
Abstract
Redwire Space Europe (Luxembourg): Jan Dentler
Redwire Space Europe is at the forefront of developing advanced actuation and perception technologies tailored for the clean space industry. As a subsystem provider, we deliver critical solutions that empower mission integrators to execute debris removal, satellite servicing, in space manufacturing and assembly and space domain...
Enabling a Space Circular Economy by 2050
Mr Come BERGER, from the Future Satellites Systems Department of the Observation and Science Domain of Thales Alenia Space in France will present the concept and mission of an orbital Recycling Space Plant involving a solar furnace for material melting, being studied in the frame of the selected mission proposed during the ESA “System Studies for the Circular Economy in Space”...
Abstract:
The "Managed Recycling Orbit operated as a Multi-Agent System" introduces a groundbreaking approach to space debris management. This concept is built on three foundational pillars:
1. Dedicated Orbital Zone: A designated orbit serves as a central hub for aggregating, processing, and recycling space debris, transforming defunct satellites and rocket bodies into cooperative objects...
ESA has noted that “a market for in-orbit activities – servicing, rendezvous, assembly, refurbish, manufacturing, and recycling – is both expected and desirable", echoing the sentiment across the sector. The concept of a circular space economy is no longer a blue-sky idea, but the eventual goal of our In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) efforts. Astroscale sees refurbishment...
The LOOP mission, led by Growbotics in collaboration with a consortium, is being developed to demonstrate the viability of a circular economy in space, specifically targeting the refurbishment of a satellite in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO).
By showcasing the commercial case for satellite refurbishment and the potential for a circular in-orbit economy, the LOOP mission represents a...
The series of EU-funded projects EROSS (European Robotic Orbital Support Services) aims at developing and bringing to space European technologies enabling innovative operations in space, like autonomous robotics and rendezvous.
The project is coordinated by Thales Alenia Space in France, in a core team with GMV in Spain and DLR in Germany, and gathering in total 18 Partners from 9 European...
The growing interest in lunar exploration necessitates new strategies for sustainable resource management, including the recycling of end-of-life (EOL) equipment. Recycling and reuse of such equipment will minimise long-term environmental impact and dependency on Earth- supplied resources. The effectiveness of the recycling process depends on the inherent complexity of the material and this...
This presentation addresses the challenge of requirement verification and validation for safe close-proximity operations around non-cooperative targets. The outcomes are elaborated in the areas of GNC and Mission Analysis: they have been demonstrated for ClearSpace-1 (CS-1), which was used as a reference mission for rendezvous, capture, and de-orbiting of an non-cooperative target, namely the...
Whether they assist with space situational awareness, navigation, rendezvous or proximity operations, space-based optical sensors are key technologies for In-orbit servicing missions. Sodern’s versatile visible sensors, namely Auricam line-up and HiCAM, can meet these different IOS missions’ requirements among image quality, resolution or even signal-to-noise ratio.
Auricam is a...
The exponential increase in satellite deployments into Earth’s orbits over the last decade has significantly augmented space environment congestion. This escalation in orbital traffic has simultaneously led to a marked increase in space debris, posing substantial risks to both operational satellites and future space missions. Consequently, addressing the mitigation of space debris has become a...
As part of its developments of technology for robust computer vision algorithms applied to Close Proximity Operations in the context of In Orbit Servicing, LMO has recently conducted two test campaigns in the GRALS laboratory at ESA to further validate the rendezvous strategy using a representative mockup of Inmarsat, and selected Chaser trajectories simulation. This talk will present details...
Astroscale has three pillars to achieve the safe and sustainable development of space for the benefit of future generations: business case, policy, and technology. In working towards a sustainable future, we need to ensure all three of these areas are addressed and understand the impacts changes to one has on the other. This presentation will summarise the recent global efforts made towards...
FDIR and system engineering are transversal disciplines that complement each other. System engineering aims to develop a system with the purpose of behaving in a way that achieves mission objectives and system requirements, while FDIR engineering aims to cover the unwanted behavior which may prevent the system to achieve its goals. FDIR engineering is a viewpoint of system architecture and...
The current presentation focuses on the impact of best practices and guidelines for safe close proximity operations on the conception, the design, and the validation and verification (V&V) of the S/C mission and systems. After introducing the key safety requirements for safe Close Proximity Operations, their impact on the system and mission design will be discussed in details, with a focus on...
The increase in space activity will have the external effect of increasing the amount of space debris and therefore the importance of debris management.
ADR is taking shape through the development of technologies and demonstration missions.
But is there a real market for these services?
ADR services are expected to be very expensive as they involve sending a satellite into orbit to...
