Dear Clean Space Committee,
My name is Emre Ergene, and I am currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Space Engineering at Politecnico di Milano. I am conducting my thesis research in collaboration with Ecosmic. The focus of my research is to estimate the Ballistic Coefficient (BC) of various objects, primarily consisting of space debris. The Ballistic Coefficient is a critical...
In recent years, the focus of the space industry has experienced a trend shift towards space sustainability. However, while many challenges have been identified, there is still a clear lack of commercially viable solutions. To address this issue, our student team “PeriSpace” is participating in the Green Space Challenge of the ESA Business Incubation Center in Reutlingen, aiming to develop a...
Sustainable development based on innovative solutions for existing technologies can be promoted by shifting the resource base of the space industry towards renewable, bio-based raw materials for material-intensive applications and thus enhancing a bioeconomy in space by greener technologies.
Bio- and wood-based materials are promising for the use as a thermal protection system (TPS) material...
The exponential increase of space debris in LEO poses a significant threat to both operational satellites and future space missions. The implementation of electrodynamic tether technology presents a promising solution for the active removal of space debris, contributing to the Zero Debris initiative and enhancing the sustainability of space activities. This study investigates the efficiency...
With increasing use of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, the space debris mitigation requirements for their disposal become more and more rigorous, necessitating development of novel technology to ensure satellite’s complete demise during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Design for Demise (D4D) is a design philosophy aimed at minimizing the risk posed by space debris during uncontrolled...
The growing amount of space debris is a phenomenon of great concern to the safe use of space. Despite growth mitigation guidelines, the spatial density of objects in LEO is only predicted to rise. In order to keep operational satellites safe, orbital debris needs to be tracked as best as possible to predict potentially hazardous collisions. Current ground-based observing facilities are limited...
The rapid increase in satellite numbers has heightened the risk of direct collisions and led to the accumulation of dust-sized debris in orbit due to fragmentation events and the gradual degradation of spacecraft surfaces. Accurately characterizing these particles is essential for validating space debris models like ESA’s MASTER and NASA’s ORDEM, which provide reliable predictions for Life...
One of the main challenges that satellites face is the progressive accumulation of debris in LEO. Hence, the necessity to develop new strategies for debris removal, as well as for servicing and refuelling existing satellites to increase their lifespan.
This article proposes an implementation of a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) framework to optimize the path of a chaser satellite, tasked...
CAREER is an educational program funded by DLR aimed at student-led research of RVD maneuvers using a robotic test environment. This project consists of two robotic arms (UR10e) that simulate the relative movement and contact dynamics of two satellites.
The satellites are represented by two EndEffectors, one of which being a passive “Target” while the other is an active “Chaser” satellite....
In-Orbit Servicing and debris removal are two of the most important emerging sectors of the space industry. The ever-increasing amount of space debris necessitates the development of debris removal, servicing, and life extension capabilities. These capabilities rely heavily on novel Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) technologies, notably Vision Based Navigation (VBN) using visual and...
The broad topic of space sustainability is increasingly being discussed within the space sector, especially in Europe, in part thanks to regulations on sustainability reporting and the upcoming European Space Law. Nevertheless, companies nowadays have a tendency to put the emphasis on a single particular chosen aspect of sustainability (e.g. environmental impacts, dark and quiet skies...
Within the last two decades, the number of objects in Earth orbits increased from around 7500 to more than 30000 in 2023. The current satellites heavily rely on one-time use. To prevent further congestion of crucial orbits, more sustainable practices for space use are imperative. Refuelling satellites in orbit extends their lifespan and reduces debris accumulation by decreasing the number of...
