An estimated 18,000 objects in orbit are being monitored by radar stations; 7% are operational satellites, the remainder is space junk. The problem is expected to worsen with additional satellites entering space.

The increasing amount of space junk poses a threat to operating satellites and space vehicles in general.

Claudio Portelli from the Italian Space Agency said: “There have been several explosions in space, both accidental and deliberate, there have even been collisions between satellites.

“The huge amount of spatial debris that is generated is a real problem for active satellites.”

D-Orbit is a company based in northern Italy, who applied to the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme for funding.

Its first major project found ways to decommission satellites safely, once their operational life has come to an end. The system is installed before the satellite is launched and is used to either bring it safely back into the atmosphere, or to send it to a ‘satellite graveyard’ a few hundred kilometres from operational orbit.

The system also increases satellite life-span, as it isn’t necessary to spare fuel in order to decommission them. The system can serve as an extra engine in cases of emergency.

D-Orbit’s chief technology officer, Lorenzo Ferrario, said: “The next big step is called In Orbit Now (ION) – a satellite transport system that we’re focusing most of our efforts on. It is built on the experience of D-Sat.”

Portelli added: “There are a number of new solutions that can be found when it comes to reliability, cost-effectiveness and better integration to existing satellites, and once they have been tested in space, it will be even better.

The post Funding the fight against space junk appeared first on Horizon 2020 Projects.