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European Space Agency to launch robot to clean up space

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The European Space Agency is planning to send a robot out into space to clean it of debris, which mainly consists of the countless satellites sent into orbit over the past few decades.

The vast majority of these “junk” satellites – communications, weather, military – have operational lifetimes lasting a few years – about five to 10 years, after which there is no system for bringing them back or clear them in any way. (See simulation of space debris around Earth below.)

Some have previously proposed to build robots that can travel to those obsolete satellites to perhaps fix them or make use of them somehow or at least maintain them so they are operational for longer, but that is an idea that is still in development, although also mentioned as part of ESA’s plan. [Read more…] about European Space Agency to launch robot to clean up space

Second SpaceDataHighway satellite to launch in July

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The EDRS-C satellite, the second node of the SpaceDataHighway network (also known as EDRS), will be launched into geostationary orbit at 31° East on 24 July 2019 by an Ariane 5 launcher.

Once positioned above Europe, it will provide redundant back-up for the SpaceDataHighway system, double transmission capacity and be able to relay the data from two observation satellites simultaneously.

This second satellite will be joining EDRS-A which transmits the images of Earth acquired by the Copernicus programme’s four Sentinel observation satellites on a daily basis.

[Read more…] about Second SpaceDataHighway satellite to launch in July

Airbus satellite and space technology centre begins operation

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Airbus’ Friedrichshafen site in Germany has opened Europe’s most state-of-the-art satellite integration and space technology centre, known as the Integrated Technology Centre (ITC).

The ITC, which triples the area of clean room space to 4,200 m2, is dedicated to building satellites, probes, space instruments and experimental technologies. The centre took two years to build at a total cost of approximately €45 million.

“Space flight has undergone huge positive development over the past few years,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Airbus Space Systems.

[Read more…] about Airbus satellite and space technology centre begins operation

ABB to manufacture an optical sensor for GHGSat

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ABB Measurement & Analytics Business Unit in Québec City, Canada, has signed a contract with Montréal-based company GHGSat to manufacture and test the optical sensor onboard the company’s third microsatellite (GHGSat-C2) for monitoring greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by industrial facilities around the world.

GHGSat-C2, scheduled for launch in early 2020, will further the deployment of the GHGSat satellite constellation.

With more than 30 years of experience in the traditional government space market, ABB has provided key hardware contribution to sensors flying on leading Earth observation missions such as AURA; TERRA; SciSat1; GOSAT 1 and 2; NPP; JPSS 1, 2, 3 and 4; Meteosat; MetOp-SG.

[Read more…] about ABB to manufacture an optical sensor for GHGSat

SAT4M2M and Fujitsu Electronics team up for satellite IoT communication

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SAT4M2M and Fujitsu Electronics are to cooperate on the development of a dedicated module enabling IoT communications via satellites.

The cooperation between the two companies aims at the design, development and production of a new range of IoT LPWA (Low Power Wide Area) modules for Internet of Things (IoT) markets.

It is intended that the module will enable communication to Low Earth Orbits (LEO) satellite payloads according to the SAT4M2M developed protocol of communication and enable global coverage with several IoT messages a day and have a high capacity serving thousands of connected objects simultaneously.

The modules will be designed to have low battery consumption, giving over five years of autonomous operation using small batteries and will easily integrate with terrestrial LPWA solutions (Sigfox, Lora, Weightless and NB IoT), GNSS capabilities (GPS, Glonass and Galileo) and SPI/I2C sensors.

Nasa places order with SSL for robotic spacecraft which will fix satellites in orbit

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New craft will be used to service satellites out in space 

Nasa has placed an order with Space Systems Loral for a robotic spacecraft which will go and fix satellites while in orbit. 

Nasa calls it the Restore-L servicing mission, and it is designed to demonstrate the ability to extend the life of a satellite in Low Earth Orbit. Scheduled launch is in 2020.

The Restore-L spacecraft will use robotics to grasp, refuel and relocate an existing US government satellite already in LEO orbit with the goal of demonstrating tools, technologies and techniques that can be implemented on future government and commercial missions.  [Read more…] about Nasa places order with SSL for robotic spacecraft which will fix satellites in orbit

SSL to provide robotic arms to Darpa for satellite servicing

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ssl darpa
SSL artist rendering robotic arms. Source: Darpa (PRNewsFoto/SSL)

Space Systems Loral (SSL), a provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems, has received $20.7 million from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) to design and build robotic arm flight hardware for the first phase of the agency’s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) program.

SSL is receiving the funds through MDA US Systems, a division of MDA managed by SSL, and is working with the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), which is the prime contractor managing the program.

The contract is for two complete robotic arm systems, which would be able to carefully capture and berth with satellites that were not previously designed for docking.  [Read more…] about SSL to provide robotic arms to Darpa for satellite servicing

SSL to build low earth orbit satellite for new customer

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ssl picture

Space Systems Loral, a provider of commercial satellites, has been awarded a contract to provide a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite to an undisclosed customer.

In addition to building the satellite, SSL will also provide the launch and will operate the satellite on orbit.

“Our production of innovative small satellites is growing in both size and diversity,” said John Celli, president of SSL.

SSL’s manufacturing facility for small satellite production provides lower cost and faster production time than has been typical for satellite manufacturing in the past. With this contract award SSL now has 21 LEO satellites under construction.

Robot submarines to be given live data link to satellites to help them navigate

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satellite

The UK is developing technology to connect robotic submarines to satellites to help them find their way around the world’s oceans.

The UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) is to form part of the new Centres of Excellence in Satellite applications, which is expected to aid economic growth in the Solent region, the waters off the southern coast of the country, near Portsmouth.

As part of this new centre the NOC will develop the technologies to help robot-subs use live satellite data to inform their route through the ocean, not unlike drivers using live traffic updates. [Read more…] about Robot submarines to be given live data link to satellites to help them navigate

Asteroids hurtling towards Earth. Nasa readies SSL robots

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nasa robot asteroids
This concept images shows ARM robotic capture Option B, in which the robotic vehicle ascends from the surface of a large asteroid, on its way to a lunar distant retrograde orbit with a smaller asteroid mass in its clutches.

Earth is under constant attack from alien rocks, apparently. Now, NASA has decided to do something about it 

Space Systems Loral (SSL), a provider of commercial satellites, has received a contract from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to conduct first phase design studies for a spacecraft that can travel to an asteroid, remove a boulder, and redirect it into a lunar orbit to prepare it for a visit by astronauts in the 2020’s.

In keeping with NASA’s strategy to leverage commercially available capabilities, SSL’s spacecraft design for the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) will be based on its popular commercial geostationary (GEO) satellite, which combines power, propulsion and value. There are currently 80 SSL GEO spacecraft in orbit.

“SSL is pleased to have this opportunity to work with JPL on the Asteroid Redirect Mission,” said John Celli, president of SSL. “We look forward to applying our proven technologies, including our very successful experience delivering high power satellites with electric propulsion systems for our commercial GEO customers, to help JPL reduce risks and meet the cost target for this exciting mission.” [Read more…] about Asteroids hurtling towards Earth. Nasa readies SSL robots

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