LeoLabs’ Post

Lack of enforcement of abandoning derelict objects in Low Earth Orbit will continue to result in more extensive conjunction assessments to avoid space collisions. This, coupled with the continued proliferation of satellites in this region, re-emphasizes the need for mapping space debris with systems that have more accurate and higher refresh rate than currently available.

LeoLabs is actively monitoring and analyzing the breakup event in Low Earth Orbit (#LEO) involving a Chinese rocket body, CZ-6A that has created at least 700 items of debris in the already most densely populated part of LEO. #spacedebris #spacetrafficmanagement #spacesustainability #CZ6A

SpaceX is preparing to launch a pair of Maxar Space Systems’ WorldView Legion satellites to a mid-inclination orbit Thursday morning. The 30 cm-class imaging satellites will ride to space atop a Falcon 9 rocket launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) is set for the beginning of a 60-minute window at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 UTC). Those watching the launch in or around Florida’s Space Coast can expect to hear a sonic boom as the first stage booster returns for a touchdown on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at the Cape. The Falcon 9 first stage booster supporting this mission, B1076 in the SpaceX fleet, will launch for a 16th time. It previously launched SpaceX’s 26th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-26) mission to the International Space Station, a batch of 40 OneWeb satellites and eight Starlink flights, among others. Nearly eight minutes after liftoff, B1076 will touchdown at LZ-1. This will be the 43rd booster landing at this site and the 339th booster landing to date. The launch comes about three months after the first pair of WorldView Legion satellites launched to a sun-synchronous polar orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Maxar released images from those satellites within the past month. Once all six of these satellites are on orbit, Maxar said it will be able to offer customers the ability to have a satellite view of a particular location up to 15 times per day. WorldView satellites are designed to operate for ten years and offer high-resolution imagery. It does so using 8-band visible and near-infrared (VNIR) multispectral imagery. The spacecraft are each 3m x 2m x 2m (9.8ft x 6.6ft x 6.6 ft) in size and have a dry mass of about 630 kg (1389 lbs.). They will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 518 km (321 mi.). Maxar developed its own satellite dispenser for these missions. In a blog post about it earlier this month, it mentioned that the aluminum dispenser was used during the May 2024 WorldView Legion launch and it can be used by other customers whose satellites are built based on the Maxar 500 Series bus. “Early on, we felt that when you design your own dispenser, you have more freedom,” said Wen Lee, a mission assurance engineer at Maxar who contributed to the dispenser design and development, said in a statement. “It gives us more freedom to design a spacecraft suited for the mission without being limited by the requirements of the dispenser interface offered by the launch provider in the end, it also costs less.” The last pair of satellites is expected to launch later this year. Full Article: https://lnkd.in/gmRUqwFH #Legion #SpaceX #Falcon9 #WorldView

The Japanese space agency's H3 rocket system will return to the launchpad in early 2024 after an explosive failure this year. The H3 will launch from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA's) Tanegashima Space Center as soon as Feb. 14, 2024, officials said in a statement released on Wednesday (Dec. 27). The prime launch window runs between 7:22 p.m. and 11:06 p.m. EST Feb. 14 (0022 and 0406 GMT, or 9:22 a.m. and 1:06 p.m. local time in Japan on Feb. 15.) Backup launch windows for the mission, designated H3 Test Flight 2 (H3TF2), run from Feb. 15 through the end of March. The decision to launch H3 will be a year after the failed inaugural flight of H3, developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), on March 7, 2023. The new launch will haul a flight demonstration module, called the Vehicle Evaluation Payload-4, along with two small satellites known as CE-SAT-IE and TIRSAT. The H3 rocket stands at 187 feet or 207 feet (57 or 63 m) tall, depending on how it is configured at launch, according to JAXA. The launch system is capable of hauling over four tons of payload to a 310-mile (500-kilometer) sun-synchronous orbit, meaning that the lighting conditions are consistent below the spacecraft. The rocket can also send in excess of 6.5 tons to a geostationary transfer orbit — the kind of orbits that satellites use to move into a geosynchronous orbit over Earth's equator. (Geosynchronous orbits allow satellites to consistently gaze at one spot of Earth's surface.) During the last flight attempt in March, H3 operators at JAXA issued a self-destruct command to the H3 launch system, explosively concluding its first test flight. The destruction of the H3 rocket also resulted in the loss of the Advanced Land Observing Satellite-3 (ALOS-3), also known as DAICHI-3. While the rocket lifted off successfully and accomplished stage separation, around seven minutes into the flight, it was noticed that the rocket's velocity was dropping. Operators also could not confirm second-stage ignition. The self-destruct command was sent shortly afterwards. A month before the launch failure on March 7, JAXA scuttled a liftoff of the same H3 rocket due to a faulty power supply. #JAXA #H3RocketSystem #TanegashimaSpaceCenter Image: Japan's H3 rocket on the launch pad at the Tanegashima Space Center. (JAXA)

CNN [excerpt]: One of #China’s Long March 6A #rockets has broken apart in low-Earth orbit and created a debris cloud consisting of hundreds of pieces, according to multiple #space debris-tracking entities. The rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center on Tuesday to deliver 18 G60 #satellites into orbit, which marks just the first deployment for the #Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology group’s Thousand Sails constellation. The megaconstellation of satellites will eventually include 1,296 satellites, and there are plans to expand the capacity to around 14,000 to rival #SpaceX’s #Starlink satellites. Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. US Space Command, a branch of the US Department of Defense, confirmed the breakup of the rocket on Thursday. “USSPACECOM has observed no immediate threats and continues to conduct routine conjunction assessments to support the safety and sustainability of the space domain,” according to a US Space Command spokesperson. US Space Command is continuing to track the debris and provide information to NASA. “There has been no immediate threat to the International Space Station observed as a result of this breakup,” said Rob Margetta, public affairs officer at NASA headquarters. The amount of tracked debris changed by the hour Thursday, beginning with more than 50 tracked by Slingshot Aerospace’s Global Sensor Network. Then, US Space Command said it was tracking more than 300 pieces. Now, radar data from tracking organization LeoLabs has confirmed that the event resulted in at least 700 debris fragments and potentially more than 900. ‘A significant hazard’ It is believed that the rocket broke apart at 503 miles (810 kilometers) above Earth’s surface, and the debris poses “a significant hazard to (low-Earth orbit) constellations” below 497 miles (800 kilometers) altitude, according to Slingshot. For reference, the International Space Station orbits about 254 miles (408 kilometers) above the Earth. Slingshot’s Horus sensor systems, which provide satellite tracking in low-Earth orbit, “detected a series of bright, unexpected objects moving along the same orbital path as the rocket body and the G60 satellites it deployed.” The true risks of the debris cloud won’t be known until experts have a chance to analyze it fully, which could take another day or so. And the reason for the rocket breakup remains unknown. #News

As the United States Space Force grapples with the math of refueling assets in orbit, it seems rather apparent to me this is the type of question someone who studies #space #economics could help answer 🤔. Now, if only we knew someone passionate and competent on the many dynamic variables in a model of the #spaceeconomy that could help. "Refueling holds immense appeal for expensive, high-value satellites in geostationary orbit, where replacing them can cost billions, Saltzman said. Topping them off with fuel could significantly extend their lifespan, making the cost of refueling a drop in the bucket compared to a whole new satellite. However, the Space Force is looking to a future with a “proliferated architecture” — with networks of many smaller, lower-cost satellites in lower orbits, he said. These constellations would provide similar functionality, but with a redundancy built-in. If one satellite fails, others can pick up the slack. This very characteristic that makes them valuable might also make them expendable." -GSP- MilkyWayEconomy #spaceforce #spaceindustry #5ir

#Resurs-P1: a Russian commercial remote sensing satellite declared non-operational in 2022 created hundreds of new space debris potentially due to a low-intensity explosion. This event highlights the importance of using materials - including propellant - reducing on-orbit explosion risks and the necessity of robust and sustainable end-of-life strategies in mission design. This event triggered ISS 'safe haven' emergency procedures and happened at an altitude of 355 km/220 miles, a critical orbit for many satellite constellations including SpaceX Starlink and Chinese megaconstellations. Jonathan McDowell, a astrophycisit and space historian, from Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, stated that "such events can range from low-energy releases of a few pieces of debris due to insulation flaking off to energetic events due to a small impact or the explosion of an onboard battery.” Due to the fact that the debris generating event happened when the satellite flew over Pletsetsk, a test launch base for the Nudol anti-satellite system, the question was whether this event might have been due to another ASAT test, especially considering the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, the large spacecraft size makes it less likely to be the case. #SpaceSustainability #OrbitalBreakUp https://lnkd.in/gDyhYbwi

Chinese researchers are proposing to combine separate Earth and lunar orbit relay systems to reduce risks and uncertainty associated with relying on ground stations in other countries. China is leading a project known as the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) which aims to establish a base near the lunar south pole in the 2030s. The plan includes establishing a Queqiao (“Magpie Bridge”) relay system in lunar orbit to facilitate communications between the Earth and moon. An article published in the Chinese Journal of Space Science notes that, due to the rotation of the Earth and orbit of the moon, domestic ground-based deep space stations can only communicate intermittently with the Queqiao lunar relay satellites. Deep space stations in other countries, such as the Neuquén ground station in Argentina, can greatly improve communication conditions. #spaceexploration #aerospace #artemis  #innovation #software #future #network #infrastructure #telecom #spacerelay #aerospace #connectivity #connectivitymatters  #cybersecurity #networksecurity #newspace #newspaceeconomy #constellations #satellite #space #satelliteoperatos #satcoms #satellitesystems #satelliteoperations #ops #opsec #telecommunications #spaceindustry #LowEarthOrbit #sda #megaconstellations #esa #nasa #eu #europe #spacecraft #internetofthings #development  #darpa #lunarexploration #lunarcoms #spacerekay #opticalcimnunications #opticallinks #DSN #china #MichaelHadjitheodosiou https://lnkd.in/ezXVdGkZ

Credit to Alison Snyder May 5, 2024 Congestion in Earth's orbit is getting even worse https://lnkd.in/gDerSyPp Earth gained a record number of satellites — nearly 3,000 — last year, adding to the congestion around the planet, according to new data. Why it matters: Crowded orbits and collisions between satellites raise the risk of creating dangerous space debris and making parts of the planet's orbit unusable. 1). Why it matters * "The industry has been saying space is becoming more congested for years, but now reality is setting in and the pressure is on to address the increasing risk in orbit," Melissa Quinn, general manager at Slingshot Aerospace said in a press release. Slingshot published its first State of Satellite Deployments & Orbital Operations report on Tuesday. 2). By the numbers: 2,877 spacecraft were launched in 2023, a nearly 15% increase from the previous year. * That brought the total number of satellites in Earth's orbit to 12,597 at the end of 2023. * Fueled by SpaceX and Starlink internet constellations, more than 91% of satellites around the planet are in low-Earth orbit (LEO) and nearly 80% of all satellites are dedicated to communications. * 89% of satellites in operation are commercial, a reflection of the growing space economy. 3). But more than 3,300 satellites in orbit around Earth are inactive, "taking up valuable space," Quinn said. * LEO — where there are thousands of inactive satellites, including 187 retired last year — is congested. * So is geosynchronous orbit (GEO), which is more than 22,000 miles above Earth. There are far fewer satellites in this orbit but they are critical for communications, weather and missile defense and other military purposes. * The average distance between them dropped 33% between 2010 and 2023 to about 186 miles. 4). "This closer proximity for operations means that the spacecraft that are responsible for critical infrastructure here on Earth are also feeling the squeeze of a more populated GEO regime," the report says. * At the end of 2023, there were 508 satellites in a graveyard orbit beyond geosynchronous orbit, 25 of those satellites were moved there last year. 5). Between the lines: Space insurers took in about $557 million in premiums last year — and paid $995 million for losses. * The majority of those losses are from two claims for satellites owned by Viasat and Inmarsat. 6). The bottom line: The satellite industry's growth coupled with concerns about space debris and challenges for space insurance "necessitate ongoing vigilance and adaptation to ensure the sustainability of space operations," the report authors write. https://flip.it/DpIzzA

[SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Launches For Record-tying 22nd Time, Sending Arctic Broadband Satellites to Orbit] A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched for a record-tying 22nd time on Sunday night (Aug. 11), sending aloft two satellites that will provide broadband coverage in the Arctic region. A Falcon 9 rocket carrying the two spacecraft of the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) lifted off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on Sunday at 10:02 p.m. EDT (7:02 p.m. local California time; 0202 GMT on Aug. 12). The Falcon 9 punched through a blanket of coastal fog — a common occurrence during launches from Vandenberg — as it rose through a darkening evening sky. The Falcon 9's first stage came back to Earth about 8.5 minutes after launch as planned, landing on the SpaceX drone ship Of Course I Still Love You, which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean. It was the 22nd launch and landing for this particular booster, according to a SpaceX mission description. That tied the company's rocket-reuse record, set this past June during a launch of SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. The Falcon 9's upper stage, meanwhile, continued carrying the ASBM satellites to orbit. It deployed the first one 42.5 minutes after liftoff and the second one five minutes later. ASBM "is designed to expand broadband coverage to the Arctic region for the U.S. Space Force and Space Norway," according to aerospace giant Northrop Grumman, which built the mission's two satellites. (Space Norway is a state-owned company that develops and manages strategic space infrastructure for the nation.) The ASBM satellites — which will operate in a highly elliptical orbit to reach their coverage area — carry multiple instruments, "including military payloads for the U.S. and Norwegian Armed Forces, as well as a commercial payload for Viasat, and a radiation monitor for the European Commission," Northrop Grumman wrote in its mission description. Sunday's launch was part of a busy weekend for SpaceX. On Saturday morning (Aug. 10), the company launched 21 Starlink satelllites from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. SpaceX tried to launch another Starlink batch on Sunday morning from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, which is also on Florida's Space Coast, but aborted that try with 46 seconds left in the countdown. Source: https://lnkd.in/e2CarQxu #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #SpaceNews