ESA and Neuraspace ink 2-year deal for Space Traffic wrangling
(2024/09/16)
- Reference: 1726486747
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2024/09/16/esa_and_neuraspace_space_traffic_contract/
- Source link:
Neuraspace and the European Space Agency have signed a multi-million Euro contract spanning two years for the Portuguese company's skills in space traffic management (STM).
The problem of debris and STM has been vexing ESA for years. The agency recently published its [1]2024 Space Environment Report , which noted how crowded Earth's orbital environment was getting and the increasing need for collision avoidance maneuvers by active spacecraft to dodge space junk. Or, in the [2]notorious case of Aeolus and Starlink , firing the thrusters to avoid part of a mega-constellation.
How Neuraspace aims to clean up orbital clutter with AI [3]READ MORE
Aeolus survived its close encounter and was eventually [4]disposed of in the Earth's atmosphere on July 28, 2023, in a guided reentry over Antarctica.
The Register spoke to [5]Neuraspace's CEO , Chiara Manfletti, in February. The company's platform was already using AI – before it became the darling of Venture Capitalists worldwide – to build up a picture of the orbital environment. Various sources, including radar, static databases, and optical data are used, along with other factors, such as solar storms and the size and shape of objects, to come up with collision forecasting.
Neuraspace's service [6]will be deployed within ESA's space debris office (SDO), which will use the platform daily for the assessment of close approaches of ESA satellites for a set of ESA missions operated from the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC).
[7]
For ESA, it'll mean improved STM. For Neuraspace, it'll mean enhancing its product based on what is learned during the experience. Having ESA as a customer will not harm the company's reputation either.
[8]
[9]
Klaus Merz, Senior Collision Avoidance analyst, and a team member at ESA's SDO, said, "Working with Neuraspace reflects ESA's strong commitment to foster commercialization."
Merz added: "If not managed properly, resident space objects ultimately threaten the economically vital Earth orbits to become unusable. Using innovative STM solutions like these offered by Neuraspace allows us to reduce risks and contributes to protecting our space assets."
[10]Japanese space lasers aim to clean up orbital junk
[11]Tiny bits of space junk reveal their wherabouts when they collide, boffins hope
[12]Airbus to test sat-stabilizing 'Detumbler' to simplify astro-garbage disposal
[13]Europe eyes skies with aim to track space junk and boost orbital operations
ESA has long been banging the drum for responsible use of orbital space, and has been taking steps to avoid adding to the debris problem – although it, and other space agencies, have created plenty of space junk in decades past despite the bold words of today.
In February, Manfletti posed the question for satellite operators facing a conjunction: "Who moves first? Is it the satellite that is the biggest and most expensive? Is it the satellite that has the most propellant on board?
[14]
"These things have to be worked out, and until we do have regulatory frameworks or guidelines in place that are shared by the community, I think companies like ourselves can bring coordination between active satellite operators." ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Debris/ESA_Space_Environment_Report_2024
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/02/esa_starlink/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/neuraspace/
[4] https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Aeolus/Aeolus_a_historic_end_to_a_trailblazing_mission
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/neuraspace/
[6] https://blog.neuraspace.com/esa-tests-space-traffic-management-services-from-neuraspace
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
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[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/31/japan_laser_space_junk_plan/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/05/space_debris_orbit/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/16/airbus_launches_satellite_stabilizing_detumbler/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/01/europe_space_tracking/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The problem of debris and STM has been vexing ESA for years. The agency recently published its [1]2024 Space Environment Report , which noted how crowded Earth's orbital environment was getting and the increasing need for collision avoidance maneuvers by active spacecraft to dodge space junk. Or, in the [2]notorious case of Aeolus and Starlink , firing the thrusters to avoid part of a mega-constellation.
How Neuraspace aims to clean up orbital clutter with AI [3]READ MORE
Aeolus survived its close encounter and was eventually [4]disposed of in the Earth's atmosphere on July 28, 2023, in a guided reentry over Antarctica.
The Register spoke to [5]Neuraspace's CEO , Chiara Manfletti, in February. The company's platform was already using AI – before it became the darling of Venture Capitalists worldwide – to build up a picture of the orbital environment. Various sources, including radar, static databases, and optical data are used, along with other factors, such as solar storms and the size and shape of objects, to come up with collision forecasting.
Neuraspace's service [6]will be deployed within ESA's space debris office (SDO), which will use the platform daily for the assessment of close approaches of ESA satellites for a set of ESA missions operated from the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC).
[7]
For ESA, it'll mean improved STM. For Neuraspace, it'll mean enhancing its product based on what is learned during the experience. Having ESA as a customer will not harm the company's reputation either.
[8]
[9]
Klaus Merz, Senior Collision Avoidance analyst, and a team member at ESA's SDO, said, "Working with Neuraspace reflects ESA's strong commitment to foster commercialization."
Merz added: "If not managed properly, resident space objects ultimately threaten the economically vital Earth orbits to become unusable. Using innovative STM solutions like these offered by Neuraspace allows us to reduce risks and contributes to protecting our space assets."
[10]Japanese space lasers aim to clean up orbital junk
[11]Tiny bits of space junk reveal their wherabouts when they collide, boffins hope
[12]Airbus to test sat-stabilizing 'Detumbler' to simplify astro-garbage disposal
[13]Europe eyes skies with aim to track space junk and boost orbital operations
ESA has long been banging the drum for responsible use of orbital space, and has been taking steps to avoid adding to the debris problem – although it, and other space agencies, have created plenty of space junk in decades past despite the bold words of today.
In February, Manfletti posed the question for satellite operators facing a conjunction: "Who moves first? Is it the satellite that is the biggest and most expensive? Is it the satellite that has the most propellant on board?
[14]
"These things have to be worked out, and until we do have regulatory frameworks or guidelines in place that are shared by the community, I think companies like ourselves can bring coordination between active satellite operators." ®
Get our [15]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Debris/ESA_Space_Environment_Report_2024
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2019/09/02/esa_starlink/
[3] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/neuraspace/
[4] https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Aeolus/Aeolus_a_historic_end_to_a_trailblazing_mission
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/02/07/neuraspace/
[6] https://blog.neuraspace.com/esa-tests-space-traffic-management-services-from-neuraspace
[7] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[8] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[9] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/31/japan_laser_space_junk_plan/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2023/12/05/space_debris_orbit/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/16/airbus_launches_satellite_stabilizing_detumbler/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/01/europe_space_tracking/
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44ZuhWJKB_RdoT8WhwYRx6egAAAYE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: Who moves first?
Anonymous Coward
It's a problem of knowing which way to move too - they should really have mentioned that in the statement. If both craft dodge the same way it could be just as bad as neither moving.
Re: Who moves first?
Eclectic Man
Then there is the issue of dodging one satellite only to be on course to encounter another. The objective should be to minimise the requirements for course corrections in the future for all satellites, or they could be falling like dominoes.
Who moves first?
I'd think it'd be obvious they both move in opposite directions. That way each uses only 1/2 the propellant, and the maneuver cost is shared equally. If you are low on fuel, you negotiate costs with the other guy.