autoevolution
 

Watch Satellites Completely Melt in Plasma Wind Tunnel, It’s a Good Thing

Design for Demise (D4D) sounds like a bad thing, but when it comes to satellites, it’s a very good thing that can keep us all safe. Retired satellites that come back to the Earth in so-called uncontrolled reentries could pose a real threat, unless they can safely disintegrate before hitting the ground.
Watch Satellites Completely Melt in Plasma Wind Tunnel, It’s a Good Thing 6 photos
Photo: ESA/Youtube
A Solar Array Drive Mechanism (satellite component) melts away in plasma wind tunnelA Solar Array Drive Mechanism (satellite component) melts away in plasma wind tunnelA Solar Array Drive Mechanism (satellite component) melts away in plasma wind tunnelA Solar Array Drive Mechanism (satellite component) melts away in plasma wind tunnelA Solar Array Drive Mechanism (satellite component) melts away in plasma wind tunnel
When a satellite completes its mission, there are 2 ways of removing it from space, either through a controlled reentry, where the satellite is guided to a designated landing area, or an uncontrolled reentry, when what’s left of the satellite can become a hazard.

According to the European Space Agency (ESA), regulations require that the casualty risk from impacts in uncontrolled descents is lower than 1 in 10,000. This means that the satellite components should disintegrate before getting close to the ground.

Since the Solar Array Drive Mechanism (SADM) could be considered the main trouble-maker because it’s one of the bulkiest components of a typical satellite, ESA and SADM manufacturer Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA) have decided to demonstrate the fact that it can be completely destroyed and, therefore, safe. An effective satellite should be resilient enough to perform its mission in space, but also capable of melting down safely, when it falls back to Earth.

The experiments were conducted at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). A SADM prototype was slightly modified in order to become more vulnerable to higher-altitude breakup, then it entered a plasma wind tunnel, where atmospheric reentry conditions were recreated (including the temperature and the speed).

As you can see in the video, the result was the total destruction of the satellite component. The test successfully demonstrated that when a satellite reenters the Earth atmosphere, the speed and the heat are enough to completely melt it, before it can get close to the ground and pose a threat. So, in specific conditions, the atmospheric destruction of satellites can be guaranteed.

Following the tests, a Debris Risk Assessment and Mitigation Analysis (DRAMA) software tool was developed as a basis for creating a new model of the SADM, for future use.

These experiments were conducted as part of ESA’s larger program, Cleansat, which is developing new technologies to make sure that satellites comply with the D4D criteria and are not a risk.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories