Lecture

Space Debris: Challenges and Solutions

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Description

This lecture by the instructor Luc Piguet from ClearSpace discusses the current situation of space debris, highlighting the increasing number of non-functional objects in orbit and the potential risks they pose to operational satellites. The presentation also covers the evolution of the space industry, focusing on the emergence of new players and technologies. Piguet emphasizes the importance of addressing the issue of space debris to ensure the sustainability of space activities and the safety of space assets.

In MOOC

New Space Economy

The New Space sector is a fast-growing market, boosting the historical institutional space exploration economy. The roughly 366 billion USD global space industry in 2019 is estimated to surge to over $1 trillion by 2040. The current growth in the development of space infrastructures and production of data from space is opening a full range of new applications for new customers. New business models for space encompass launchers, satellite manufacturers, in-orbit servicing, telecommunication, cybersecurity, e

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Related concepts (14)

Space debris

Space debris (also known as space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris) are defunct human-made objects in space - principally in Earth orbit - which no longer serve a useful function. These include derelict spacecraft - nonfunctional spacecraft and abandoned launch vehicle stages - mission-related debris, and particularly numerous in Earth orbit, fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft.

Space industry

Space industry refers to economic activities related to manufacturing components that go into outer space (Earth's orbit or beyond), delivering them to those regions, and related services. Owing to the prominence of the satellite-related activities, some sources use the term satellite industry interchangeably with the term space industry. The term space business has also been used. A narrow definition encompasses only hardware providers (primarily related to launch vehicles and satellites).

Human presence in space

Human presence in space is about humanity in space, particularly about all anthropogenic presence in space and human activity in space, that is in outer space and in a broader sense also on any extraterrestrial astronomical body. Humans have been present in space either, in the common sense, through their direct presence and activity like human spaceflight, or through mediation of their presence and activity like with uncrewed spaceflight, making "telepresence" possible.

Satellite

A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit around a celestial body. Satellites have a variety of uses, including communication relay, weather forecasting, navigation (GPS), broadcasting, scientific research, and Earth observation. Additional military uses are reconnaissance, early warning, signals intelligence and, potentially, weapon delivery. Other satellites include the final rocket stages that place satellites in orbit and formerly useful satellites that later become defunct.

Communications satellite

A communications satellite is an artificial satellite that relays and amplifies radio telecommunication signals via a transponder; it creates a communication channel between a source transmitter and a receiver at different locations on Earth. Communications satellites are used for television, telephone, radio, internet, and military applications. Many communications satellites are in geostationary orbit above the equator, so that the satellite appears stationary at the same point in the sky; therefore the satellite dish antennas of ground stations can be aimed permanently at that spot and do not have to move to track the satellite.

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