Blog
April 19, 2024
The Earth’s orbit marks the ideal location for a number of satellites – as of 26 February 2024, there are 9,418 active TLE satellites in operation around the globe. Orbit allows satellites to retain their altitude with near-to-no input, but debris in orbit means some vigilance is required to prevent potential collisions.
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Satellites have a long history, with the Sputnik I being the first satellite in orbit in 1957. While the Sputnik I has long since burned up, Earth’s orbit remains chock-full of satellites, with over 10,000 in various states of operationality.
The biggest threat to a satellite is another satellite. While there are varying heights of orbit, depending on the size of the satellite and its functionality, there are many that sit within a short window of one-another. Just a few hundred metres can represent a danger-close pass-by, especially when satellites are moving at tens of thousands of kilometres per hour.
In fact, the first satellite collision occurred in 2009, when the American communication satellite Iridium-33 collided with the Russian military satellite Kosmos2251. The resulting impact scattered thousands of debris fragments throughout orbit – while some have re-entered the atmosphere, much of the debris still remains.
This event marks one of four satellite collision events recorded since 1957 and 2024. More than the loss of the satellites, this collision resulted in orbit becoming an even more difficult place to navigate, showing the importance of collision avoidance manoeuvres to protect international assets and prevent more orbital debris from cluttering our local space.
Since satellites are guaranteed to be obliterated in an orbital collision due to their extreme velocities, collision avoidance manoeuvres have been developed to help to prevent any collisions from occurring.
Current collision avoidance manoeuvres work by firing thrusters or small boosters to create minimal changes to the altitude of a satellite’s orbit. This will put them out of the path of oncoming debris, without further endangering them.
The collision avoidance process is incredibly technical and difficult and requires keeping track of many thousands of pieces of orbital debris. Improving the manoeuvring capabilities of satellites while increasing their resistance against hyper-velocity impacts to mitigate the risks of orbital debris is part of an industry known as SpaceTech.
SpaceTech is the pursuit of technology and expertise that will bring our satellite systems into the future. Find out more >
The first step to preventing satellite collisions is taken at launch. Satellites are constantly monitored, and a new satellite is launched at a height where it is unlikely to come close to any other satellites. Orbits can change over time and increasing numbers of satellites in space result in even more chances for collisions. However, orbital debris marks the greatest threat of all.
There are more than 25,000 recorded objects larger than 10cm in diameter orbiting earth, with over half-a-million more smaller pieces of debris. A third of this debris is attributable to the 2009 satellite impact, and the preceding intentional destruction of the Chinese weather satellite Fengyn-1C in 2007.
This huge quantity of debris results in some incredibly complex calculations to predict potential collisions, as well as the application of advanced tracking technology to find and monitor the debris in the first place. The technology used to track, predict, and avoid orbital debris is part of a field collectively known as SpaceTech.
SpaceTech allows you to minimise the chances of a satellite collision with debris or otherwise. This not only protects the integrity of the asset, but also prevents further debris from cluttering our orbit – lowering the rate at which orbital debris is building up.
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While our current technology is capable of preventing impacts quite reliably, with only four known major collisions over millions of collective orbits. The future of satellite collision avoidance is evolving rapidly as the number of satellites in orbit continues to increase but a single impact creates irreparable and catastrophic results. Especially when orbiting bodies like the ISS are considered, which contain actual human lives, it is important to never cease with the advancement of SpaceTech and collision avoidance technologies.
To this end, there are several ways in which satellite collision avoidance is being actively researched for future improvements:
The first major trend seeking to greatly enhance current satellite collision avoidance technologies is automation. The rise of AI has been prevalent in all industries, and SpaceTech is no exception.
Automated avoidance systems would allow satellites to automatically assess and perhaps even respond to risks in space, even in real-time. This would greatly mitigate the chances of an impact while also reducing the errors due to human mistakes or response times.
However, these are still developing technologies, and fresh perspectives are needed to develop them to their full potential.
Small orbital debris, of 10cm in diameter or less, is incredibly hard to detect and track with our current technology. New developments in tracking technologies and rapid response could lead to increased protection against orbital debris, preventing damage or destruction of satellites and their features.
Larger debris can be avoided with collision avoidance manoeuvres, but current technology doesn’t allow for everything to be avoided. As such, we either need developments in the tech we use, or in the shielding that protects our satellites. In an ideal scenario, we’d see the greatest protection from both.
While radiation shielding to protect electrical components from cosmic and solar radiation has proven successful, impact shielding technologies are lagging behind.
It is possible to protect certain components from major damage, such as the shielding present on the ISS’s habitat and life function systems, but delicate external features such as solar panelling are still at risk of damage from hypervelocity impacts.
As space traffic increases, there is growing recognition of the need for improved space traffic management (STM) systems. STM systems aim to monitor, coordinate, and regulate space activities to prevent congestion, collisions, and other space hazards. Efforts are underway to establish global STM frameworks and standards.
Governments and international organizations are developing regulatory frameworks and guidelines to address the growing concerns about space debris and satellite collisions. These frameworks may include requirements for satellite operators to implement collision avoidance measures and share orbital data to enhance space situational awareness.
At SpaceTech, we’re committed not just to nurturing the skills of those from all social backgrounds, but also to improving the social and economic impact of the Space industry – linking those with the skills and desire to perform with businesses that need bright, capable, new minds to grow.
Whether you’re a career or industry changer looking to develop your skills in SpaceTech and make the next big development in satellite collision avoidance technology, or an employer seeking candidates with the ability to perform, get in touch with our team today.
