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Yea for sure.. I would hope that there is some rule now related to making sure things can be deorbited with some scheme relatively easily? For example a mandato

by xt00 7y ago

Yea for sure.. I would hope that there is some rule now related to making sure things can be deorbited with some scheme relatively easily? For example a mandatory unit that attaches to the side of your satellite that has a small antenna only possible to communicate with using a high gain antenna on the ground that can transmit back using a battery that is only for that unit and can only command some relays to fire thrusters to de orbit the thing and read back basic telemetry to help validate what the slow down burn direction is.. anybody know how they accomplish this?

deleted 7y ago
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Nodraak 7y ago
To deorbit a satellite, you need an antenna (to receive the command), electricity (working solar panel / battery), working on board computer, fuel, correct attitude determination. So basically you need a full working satellite. As soon as one of these element fails, your satellite is dead. At 10-20 k dollars per kg, you dont want to add another satellite to your already expensive satellite. Concerning rules, there is some progress, because nobody wants a Kessler syndrome, too much is at stake. For instance, European satellites are launched only if they naturally deorbit in less than 25 years (for LEO, of course. Above a certain height, atmospheric drag is too weak).
- Sanzig 7y ago
  Actually, the newly-proposed FCC rules would require fail-safe deorbit systems when operating above 550 km and below 2000 km. Above 550 km, most stuff takes more than 25 years to deorbit, and the NGSO volume below 2000 km is considered the most useful (and thus most likely to get crowded). These fail-safe systems should be designed to cause the satellite to deorbit within 25 years of activation. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-159A1.pdf https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-159A1.pdf The FCC hasn't proscribed exactly what these look like (that's implementation), but electrodynamic tethers would seem likely.

by xt00 7y ago

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

Nodraak 7y ago

To deorbit a satellite, you need an antenna (to receive the command), electricity (working solar panel / battery), working on board computer, fuel, correct attitude determination. So basically you need a full working satellite. As soon as one of these element fails, your satellite is dead. At 10-20 k dollars per kg, you dont want to add another satellite to your already expensive satellite. Concerning rules, there is some progress, because nobody wants a Kessler syndrome, too much is at stake. For instance, European satellites are launched only if they naturally deorbit in less than 25 years (for LEO, of course. Above a certain height, atmospheric drag is too weak).

Sanzig 7y ago
Actually, the newly-proposed FCC rules would require fail-safe deorbit systems when operating above 550 km and below 2000 km. Above 550 km, most stuff takes more than 25 years to deorbit, and the NGSO volume below 2000 km is considered the most useful (and thus most likely to get crowded). These fail-safe systems should be designed to cause the satellite to deorbit within 25 years of activation. https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-159A1.pdf https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-18-159A1.pdf The FCC hasn't proscribed exactly what these look like (that's implementation), but electrodynamic tethers would seem likely.