On January 1st 2020 the amount of material orbiting the Earth exceeded 8,000 metric tons. We know that there is a good deal more than 100,000,000 bits of junk, ranging from flakes of paint to 4+ tonne satellite & launch parts drifting out of control, are up there travelling at around 17,500 mph in a band of altitudes between 200 to 22,300 miles above our planet.
This debris is not harmless, in 2009 an active iridium communication satellite collided with a defunct Russian satellite producing an almighty cloud of debris in the space environment. Still, a decade later, the satellite industry continues to battle with this issue of space debris, and as more commercial entities are now able to access the space environment, the challenge is only getting greater.
With increasing consumer demand for high capacity bandwidth, the emergence of mega-constellations is becoming more apparent year upon year. Consequently, space is becoming increasingly cluttered. Whilst there’s no doubt that the space environment can become a financial commodity, it is of utmost importance that we continue to protect this environment for all users with good Space Situational Awareness (SSA).
A mega-constellation is multiple orbits of satellites constantly moving to maintain coverage and anticipate demand. In order to do this effectively, a massive number of satellites is required, all whizzing about at immense speeds. Not only that, but many of these don’t have manoeuvre capabilities on board making the risk of collisions all the more real. Frighteningly, these constellations are being launched at an alarming rate, with SpaceX alone having requested permission to launch 30,000 LEO satellites back in October 2019, that is on top of the 12,000 already approved. Naturally, it is difficult to predict the impact that the global pandemic might have on some of these launches, but there is no denying that either way we will see a massive increase in satellites over the coming months and years.
With de-commissioning satellites not currently enforced, we are also heading towards an environment with many satellites left out there in the space environment to float about for eternity. Current guidelines require de-orbit into Earth’s atmosphere within 25 years, however the problem with this is that all comply. In GEO, between 85%-100% do at least attempt compliance with 60-90% doing so successfully. In LEO, the picture is much bleaker, with between 40-80% attempting to comply and 30-70% doing so successfully. This is according to a study by ESA.
It’s not all doom and gloom, there are methods which the industry can adopt in order to decrease this gargantuan amount of debris. Management, regulation and innovation can be implemented so that the damage caused to the space environment can be undone. Not only will better management result in collision avoidance, stricter regulation can ensure that de-orbiting protocols are enforced.
With the help of industry experts, EMSTA in collaboration with SIG will be hosting conference, which will explore ways to tackle Space Junk. The Seminar will highlight the current issues concerning SSA and to what proportions might the issue grow if left unattended. But the seminar also aims to provide ways in which the industry can tackle the issue and how developing a commercial solution can benefit.
The seminar will be taking place virtually on 18th November 2020. Entry is free, but advance registration is required so that web links can be sent to delegates. To register please visit http://emsta.org.uk/wp/seminarregistration or call 0845 474 3341. For further information, please visit http://www.emsta.org.uk/wp/seminars.