Intentional Design for a Sustainable Future
Cameron Penny, Business Relations Lead
6 minute read
Badge of the Royal Air Force
“Ad astra per aspera.” Almost everyone with any connection to the space industry who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting immediately knows this Latin phrase. Translated to English, it means "through hardships (struggles) to the stars." You can find this quote used by NASA in their exhibits and by the UK Royal Air Force as their motto. Reading this inspirational quote, there are some grand heroic struggles and efforts that come to mind. However, one of the most pressing hardships or struggles humanity will need to solve or go through… is our own orbital debris and space junk.
There are multiple US authorities also identifying the problem: NASA, NOAA, offices within the White House, and several DoD military branches. NASA specifically notes the operating environment in space is constantly and rapidly changing and will continue to evolve as new commercial capabilities create more dynamic operational environments. The rapid increase in operational satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) has made space more crowded with spacecraft and contributes to increased threats from debris. Excluding the operational satellites, the number of debris objects regularly tracked by Space Surveillance Networks and maintained in their catalog is approximately 35,770. This is a massive problem that satellite operators need to use both time and fuel to maneuver around.
NASA specifically outlines within its “Space Sustainability Strategy” an increase in its role as a global leader in space sustainability by providing science and technology leadership in the United States and the global space community. NASA states that its missions and operations, including those it undertakes with non-NASA entities, will remain focused on maintaining or enhancing space sustainability. There are also non-government organizations that seek to quantify and measure sustainability decisions taken by operators, like the Space Sustainability Rating (SSR) Association. The SSR is a rating system informed by transparent, data-based assessments of the level of sustainability of space missions and operations.
Humanity is brilliant at overcoming challenges and has solved its way through many struggles. We cannot be more sustainable by ignoring the problems we face or by doing nothing. Several solutions exist and the common thread among them is simply to be intentional with our designs. Intentional design can be used to address several outstanding sustainability concerns faced by the space industry.
Intentional Design Solutions
Designing for the removal of space debris: While planning missions in LEO, operators are required to have a deorbit plan. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set in place requirements for the ability to get license approval, which include post-mission disposal of satellites in five years or less after mission completion. There are several companies bringing to market solutions that bolt on to new satellite designs or connect to existing ESPA ring hardware. KMI has developed a system of capture that is designed to have a universal connection. By choosing to not vendor lock the integration end nor restrict the attachment end, we can allow decisions to be made on solely capability and concern.
From the regulatory perspective, cost-sharing cleanup could offer a pathway to maintaining a sustainable and clear orbit. This model has already been in use for centuries in the US for environmental cleanups involving public, private, and commercial entities. With appropriate funding, this cost-share model could receive the most encouraging participation from all sectors. Alternatively, KMI would welcome a marketplace where commercial services bid, compete, and complete debris clean-up efforts.
Optimizing the “first-use” and “mission-life-extension” design of spacecraft: There's an eventual limit to the total number of objects that can occupy the same, or overlapping, orbit just as there's a limit on how many raft can occupy a single point in space without breaking the laws of physics, or causing a calamity of cascading collisions. Several companies already look to solve this problem through rideshare partnerships, rather than launching satellites on separate launch vehicles. Furthermore, designers should consider the limitations of non-renewable resources. Whether these resources are materials to construct electrical components, the bus of a satellite, or the fuel to maneuver safely, these items will eventually run out, become scarce, or break down in the harsh environment of space.
There are several industry leaders looking to develop the optimal solution for “mission-life extension” by integrating options for refueling. There are also options for modular designs that could simply interchange or swap components as they fail, rather than scrapping the entire satellite or spacecraft. We wouldn’t junk our cars when the tires need to be replaced, right? Systems experience wear and tear at different rates. Do the thrusters wear out before the sensors? Not a problem when we have designed a system that can easily allow modules to be replaced as they wear.
Building in a “second-life” for spacecraft: While building our “first-use” design of spacecraft, we can plan for the materials we use to be more easily recyclable or arrange in advance with deorbit partners for the dismantling or re-use of components. There are several start-ups and industry Primes working on expanding the capabilities of in-space assembly and manufacturing (ISAM). Specifically, there are partners KMI has been working with focused on recycling satellite components to breathe life into existing non-operable satellites - that is, debris. Aside from recycling, several operators are developing options for safely destroying or stabilizing the orbital debris. These innovative solutions help to extend the efforts and resources that have already been committed, helping to increase the sustainability of practices overall.
Designing for a responsive and supporting regulatory and funding environment: While not traditionally viewed as a resource, there are only so many hours in a day and a limited amount of attention that can be paid to issues at any time. At first, this may seem like an unrelated concept, but I would ask: Is there an unlimited amount of funding for the projects being pursued in space? Are regulatory bodies able to take a deep dive with unwavering attention to every application and concern and respond with an immediate solution? If your response was a confident yes to both of those questions, we should really talk more about investments and the licensing process!!
For the rest of us, there is only so much time and everyone is competing for the same dollars and attention. In order to have the most sustainable approach, there needs to be both the staff and funding to support those efforts. As we look towards a future with even more of our economy becoming staggeringly dependent on space, responsive oversight and available funding vehicles will continue to be mission-critical.
New economic potential as we look for alternatives to destructive atmospheric deorbit: Sustainability means the ability to continue to safely utilize the resources available and being able to continue essential operations. How do we continue to benefit from and develop our use of the available space without depletion of the available resources? It's important to identify what it is we're concerned about losing and therefore must be protected. The most standout need for humanity is a healthy, breathable, and life-sustaining atmosphere on Earth. There are several studies, linked below, that illustrate the dangers of burning up metals, composites, and other space components in Earth’s atmosphere as the only deorbit plan. Using the atmosphere in this way can be and has been a step along humanity's path of cleaning up or making safe the orbits we rely on for daily life, but we can (and should) absolutely design for new systems.
We move forward with the benefit of hindsight and everything to gain. As designers, operators, and partners in space, we can consider the impact of our work and how it functions within the larger ecosystem of Earth and the surrounding space. Taking deliberate steps to design a sustainable future in space means understanding the needs of the operators, businesses, and end users, as well as focusing on the problem and purpose. By taking these aspects into account operators, regulators, and industry leaders can take steps to solve problems and design a sustainable future in space. Specifically, operators in the space industry can and should act together to make decisions that build toward a more sustainable future.
Steps fellow operators can take today include avoiding the creation of space debris during launch or mission operations, navigating congested orbital environments without increasing the risk of conjunctions, and working with partners to improve the environment for today and tomorrow. From the KMI team, we are excited to help with these steps and are here to be your partner as we assist with orbital logistics, in-space mobility solutions, and strive to decrease the risk of debris collisions. Let's continue the conversation toward Keeping Space Clear For All!
Research on Debris Deorbit Effects on Earth’s Atmosphere
https://www.nasa.gov/spacesustainability/
Recommended columns to read next: Why Space Matters Part 2: Space Is Our Present