Active debris removal is “definitely a need, and I think there is a use case for industry to get after that as a service-based opportunity,” said Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt.

By THERESA HITCHENS on September 16

MAUI: There is a need for industry capabilities to clean up burgeoning amounts of space junk, and at the same time an urgency to getting a civil authority for managing orbital traffic up and running, according to Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt, vice commander of Space Force Space Operations Command.

“We need to pick up debris — we need trash trucks. We need things to go make debris go away,” she told the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference here on Wednesday. “That’s definitely a need, and I think there is a use case for industry to get after that as a service-based opportunity.”

The Defense Department currently tracks more than 27,000 objects in space, most of which is debris — such as defunct rocket bodies, according to NASA.

While Burt didn’t exactly say Space Force was planning on paying industry to develop debris removal technology, her reference to the concept of space trash collection as a service is suggestive – given that DoD has in recent months expressed interest in such a model for a number of different space capabilities, from satellite communications to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) imagery and analysis.

Read more at:

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/09/space-force-calls-for-trash-trucks-for-all-the-orbiting-junk/

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Listen to the podcast at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1775212/8794454

Show notes

The human race is making another mess – this time it’s in orbit.

Broadcaster Kim McAllister and space expert Dr Murray Collins discuss the issue of space junk with experts whose work is suffering and with the entrepreneurs who are trying to solve the problem.

Andy Lawrence is Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and author of the book “Losing the Sky”, detailing the problems of space junk.

Harriet Brettle is Head of Business Analysis at Astroscale UK, where they are testing technology to remove space debris and Ralph ‘Dinz’ Dinsley is founder of NORSS (Northern Space & Security Ltd) and surveying the sky to categorise the junk.

Great British Lift Off is a Connect production sponsored by The Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Data Driven Innovation Programme.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council part of UK Research and Innovation  is proud to co-sponsor The Great British Lift-off.
As well as leading on UK space missions, we support business-driven innovation, by opening our doors to companies of all sizes. We offer access to our facilities, equipment, expertise and networks to accelerate the route to market for new disruptive technologies up in space and down on earth. Your partner in space.

For more about how we support business:

• Edinburgh: http://higgscentre.org/
• Harwell Space Cluster: https://www.harwellcampus.com/space-cluster/
• ESA BIC UK: esa-bic.org.uk

 Th Data Driven Innovation initiative is delivered by the University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. We are an innovation network helping organisations tackle challenges for industry and society by doing data right to support Edinburgh in its ambition to become the data capital of Europe.

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THE news that a piece of space junk collided with the robotic arm on the International Space Station, is an alarming reminder that what’s called “low Earth orbit” is becoming a crowded place. More and more stuff is out there, travelling at alarming speeds. The number of tiny satellites being sent up for broadband services is rapidly rising. All of this raises questions and a call for “responsible space behaviour”.

Should we be worried?

Many experts are saying so, among them Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, Andy Lawrence, who recently published Losing The Sky and takes part in a June 15 online event, organised by the Edinburgh Astronomical Society. Lawrence professes a love of astronomy, space exploration and the internet. “Until 2020,” he writes, “I assumed that these three loves do not clash…. It now seems that was just a Moon Age Daydream. A new generation of satellite megaconstellations is on its way, aimed at producing ubiquitous global high-speed internet connection. All very exciting – but these objects pollute the night sky, streak across our astronomical images, blare loudly and unpredictably at our radio telescopes, and increase the danger of spacecraft collisions.”

Read more at: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19347142.space-junk-next-waste-crisis-needs-solved/?ref=twtrec

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Space can be a harsh and unforgiving environment for the robots and humans that explore it: the hazards are many, from massive temperature swings to radiation and orbital debris.

Over 23,000 objects the size of a softball or larger are tracked 24/7 to detect potential collisions with satellites and the International Space Station (ISS). A number of tiny objects—ranging from rock or dust particles to flecks of paint from satellites—are also too small to be monitored.

The threat of collisions is taken very seriously. NASA has a long-standing set of guidelines to ensure the safety of Station crew. The safety of astronauts on board the orbiting laboratory remains the top priority of all Station partners.

While the utmost precautions are taken to reduce the potential for collisions with the ISS, impacts with tiny objects do occur. One such hit was noticed recently during a routine inspection of Canadarm2 on May 12.

Experts from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and NASA worked together to take detailed images of the area and assess the impact, which occurred on one of Canadarm2’s boom segments.

Despite the impact, results of the ongoing analysis indicate that the arm’s performance remains unaffected. The damage is limited to a small section of the arm boom and thermal blanket. A hole approximately 5mm in diameter is visible.

Canadarm2 is continuing to conduct its planned operations, including hoisting Dextre into position to replace a faulty power switchbox (Remote Power Control Module).

NASA and the CSA will continue to gather data to conclude the analysis. Near-term robotics operations will continue as planned

https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/news.asp#20210528

Space junk crashes into the International Space Station, causes damage

https://thehill.com/changing-america/resilience/smart-cities/556368-space-junk-crashed-into-the-international-space

Space junk damages International Space Station’s robotic arm

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/space-junk-damages-international-space-stations-robotic-arm-rcna1067

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