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CNN
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Since the dawn of space – the launch of Sputnik I in 1957 – humans have sent more than 15,000 satellites in the cycle. More than half are still working; the rest, after the fuel runs out and their useful life ends, either burn in the air or are still circulating the planet as useless metals.
As such, they pose a threat to the International Space Station and other satellites, and the European Space Agency relative more than 640 “breakdowns, explosions, collisions, or unusual events resulting in divisions” have occurred today.
That created an aura of space on the planet, consisting of 36,500 objects larger than 10 centimeters (3.94 inches) and 130 million particles up to 1 centimeter (0.39 inches). Cleaning up these wastes is expensive and complicated, with many plans to do so but no practical results.
One of the ways to start solving the problem is to stop producing more junk – by refueling satellites instead of destroying them when they run out of energy.
“Right now you can’t recharge a satellite in orbit,” said Daniel Faber, CEO of Orbit Fab. But his Colorado-based company want to change that.
“When the satellites run out of fuel, you can’t store them in the right place in orbit and they become dangerous debris, floating around at high speeds and risking collisions,” explained Faber. “Furthermore, the lack of fuel creates a whole scenario where people plan their spaceships to be as small as possible.
“This means that we cannot drag the vehicles on the circuit to remove any debris left behind. We can’t repair and fix, we can’t fix anything. We can’t inspect anything if it breaks. There are many things we cannot do and we operate in a limited way. That’s the solution we’re trying to provide.”
The idea of filling and using satellites in orbit was pioneered by NASA in 2007, when – in collaboration with DARPA (the research group of the US Department of Defense) and Boeing – it was launched. Orbital Express, a mission consisting of two satellites that successfully docked and exchanged fuel. Later, NASA worked on the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), which further explored the challenges of recharging existing satellites.
Now the agency is working OSAM-1which is scheduled to launch in 2026 and will attempt to capture and replenish Landsat-7, a satellite to observe the planet running out of gas.
“This is a mission to refuel a satellite that is not ready to be refueled,” Faber said. “So they have to do an operation on the satellite, cut into it to get access to the fuel pipes. This allows the satellites to improve their capabilities, but it comes at a cost. NASA said the OSAM-1 cost about $2 billion.
Orbit Fab has no plans to replace the current fleet of satellites. Instead, he wants to focus on those who have not been promoted, and equip them with an advertising offering – namely RAFTfor the Rapid Attachable Fluid Transfer Interface – which will greatly facilitate the use of oil, keeping the price down.
“What we’re looking at is creating an affordable structure,” Faber said. “There has never been a commercial space to charge a satellite into orbit. For all the big ambitions we have about the busy economy of space, the truth is, what we’re working on is gas – we’re a company gas.”
Orbit Fab, which advertises itself with the brand “gas in space,” is working on a system that includes a fuel box, a vehicle – which will deliver fuel to a satellite of are needed – with fuel tanks, or orbital gas stations, where vehicles can pick up fuel. It has been announced that it will cost $20 million to launch hydrazine into space, the common planetary propellant.
In 2018, the company launched two test bed to the International Space Station to test connections, pumps and pipes. In 2021, the Tanker-001 Tenzing was introduced, a prototype oil tanker that informed the design of the current equipment.
The next launch is now scheduled for 2024. “We are putting fuel into geostationary orbit for a mission being carried out by the Air Force Analysis,” Faber said. “Right now, they’re doing it as an experiment, but it’s getting a lot of interest from the entire American government, from people who know the importance of filling it.”
Orbit Fab’s first private sale will be Astrology, a Japanese satellite service company has developed the first satellite designed for recharging. Named LEXI, the RAFTI port will be built and is currently scheduled to be launched in 2026.
According to Simone D’Amico, an assistant professor of astronautics at Stanford University, who is not affiliated with Orbit Fab, on-orbit servicing is one of the keys to ensuring a safe and sustainable development of space. “Can you imagine a place where the land, roads and cities are free of gas pumps and auto repair shops? Can you imagine single-use cars or airplanes?” he asked. “The development of space infrastructure and the proliferation of space assets are reaching a critical point that is no longer sustainable without a change of paradigm.”
D’Amico says there are several reasons why this has never happened before, including, until recently, lack of demand due to restrictions. number of space shuttles, and the fact that on-orbit technology is only now being considered. to progress in satellite miniaturization.
He believes Orbit Fab is a first, especially from a marketing perspective. “It is probably the only company in the world that has set itself up to install ‘gas stations’ in the circuit,” he said. “I think Orbit Fab’s approach is very predictable and can be paid in the medium and long term. However, the risk is high in the short term, since the satellites must be designed and reused and recover mentally.
At first, Orbit Fab plans to find its market as a fuel supplier to companies, such as Astroscale, that plan to inspect, repair and improve satellites in orbit, or do waste collection. . According to Faber, the success in this area can convince many telephone companies, which use many satellites, to shake their business models and accept filling and service.
He added that once the pattern of sending and receiving oil into the circuit is established, the next step is to start making oil there. “Within 10 or 15 years, we want to build cleaning equipment on the circuit,” he said, “using materials that are launched from the ground in many chemicals. people want to buy: air and water for industrial areas, 3D printing mineral feed to plant trees. We want to be a commercial chemical supplier in promoting business opportunities.”