Like Uber, but for satellite launches: European Space Agency’s ride-sharing rocket slings 53 birds with one bang
- Reference: 1599205386
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/09/04/like_uber_but_for_satellite/
- Source link:
Thursday’s launch was the first time the ESA has used its Vega launcher since 2019’s effort that [1]dunked satellites in the Atlantic Ocean . This time around no problems were encountered as the rocket departed Kourou, French Guiana at 02:51 BST / 03:51 CEST on September 3rd.
104 minutes later the craft had released all 53 satellites from the dispenser, a system designed to spit out many small payloads and promoted as rideshare in space. Most of this mission’s passengers were cubesats, but seven were more substantial affairs that weighed between 15kg and 150kg.
[2]
ESA art depicting the Small Satellites Mission Service dispenser. Click to enlarge
Among the bigger birds was “ESAIL”, a satellite that will extend the range of the automatic identification system (AIS) equipment carried by ships at sea to enable tracking and avoid collisions. AIS carries plenty of useful information but the curvature of the Earth limits its radios’ range to 74kms. ESAIL’s orbit is 500km above sea level, so will extend AIS range handily!
The ESA said another payload, “Φ-sat-1”, is an Earth observation satellite that will be first time the agency has used artificial intelligence in space. The sat is part of the [3]FSSCat mission that aims to fly a cubesats capable of measuring soil moisture, ice extent, ice thickness and detecting melting ponds over ice. Φ-sat-1 applies AI to filter out less than perfect images so that only usable data are returned to Earth – just the kind of thing The Register is often told will happen on the edge of terrestrial networks.
Rocket Lab boss Peter Beck talks to The Reg about crap weather, reusing boosters, and taking a trip to Venus [4]READ MORE
The success of the Small Spacecraft Mission Service dispenser is good news for the ESA because it demonstrates a new capacity it can sell. With the likes of SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Rocket Lab all offering launch services and seeking to cash in on the orbital broadband boom and increasing demand for satellites, the ESA’s success shows it deserves to be on satellite-builders’ shopping lists. ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2019/07/11/arianespace_vega_failure/
[2] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/09/04/pr_supplied_esa_small_satellites_mission_service_dispenser.jpg
[3] https://copernicus-masters.com/winner/ffscat-towards-federated-eo-systems/
[4] https://www.theregister.com/2020/09/02/rocketlab_peter_beck_interview/
[5] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Great!
More crap in space to increase chances for satellite collisions.
Re: Great!
At around 500km high, nothing without it's own propulsion is going to stay up there long. Atmospheric drag is still a factor and will pull most things down out of orbit.
Hell, even the ISS (at an orbit of around 400km) needs a periodic boost so as not to fall out of the sky.
ESAIL I'm confused
As a mere yottie rather than commercial skipper of supertankers I am happy to be wrong but ...
My understanding is that AIS works on VHF radio - hence being strictly line of sight. I uses a GPS receiver to work out position, speed and course which it then blats out to anyone who can receive it. It therefore works a bit like aircraft transponders. My confusion then is how a satellite fits in.
AIS
AIS comes in 2 classes - A and B (and B+)- A is commercial, B is recreational. A is 5 watts, B is 2 watts, with the + outputting at 5.
proper installation of Class A specifies 15M above sea level - hence the 74KM range
The range of B (and B+) is highly dependent upon the areal and its placement. As AIS uses 2 channels (either side of the DSC radio channels), a standard marine radio areal may not transmit at ideal frequencies - and placement can also be problematic (getting it high enough, where it doesnt interfere with the DSC areal, lines, etc.). I have seen AIS B which doesnt pick up a target more than 10KM away!
The satellite will be great for the system - its generally ships that recreational boats need to watch/avoid.
Re: AIS
VHF and 5 watts sounds remarkably similar to what I remember of the specs of personal locator beacons, the signals of which also are picked up by (receivers on) orbiting satellites.
I'm guessing that's not a coincidence, you wouldn't have any knowledge of (pointers about) that, would you? Curious!
> With the likes of SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Rocket Lab all offering launch services...
ROFL! Come back to me when BO actually have a working rocket and Branson stops redefining orbit so his poxy plane can reach it. That sentence should read:
With SpaceX and Rocket Lab offering launch services...