Article Posted on : - Mar 29, 2010

NEW DELHI (BNS): Scientists have developed a nanosatellite that will play a major part in clearing dangerous clouds of debris hurtling around the Earth's lower orbit.

“CubeSail” is a novel, low cost space mission which will demonstrate for the first time space debris/satellite deorbiting using an ultra light 5 x 5 sail stowed and supported on a 3 kg nanosatellite.

Scientists at the University of Surrey are working on the project funded by the European space company Astrium, a report by Science Daily said.

A 5 x 5 m, 3 kg, deployable sail is being developed to fit in a 10 x 10 x 30 cm nanosatellite and will be used in a demonstration mission to be launched in late 2011 demonstrating passive means of deorbiting for future satellites.

The device can be fitted to satellites or launch vehicle upper stages that are sent into orbit and then can be deployed to successfully de-orbit equipment that has reached the end of its mission.

Fifty years of space exploration have left more than 5,500 tonnes of spent rockets, defunct satellites and abandoned equipment hurtling around the planet and cluttering up the nearest reaches of space.

The build-up of debris, which is growing at 5% a year, is a major threat to working satellites and crewed spacecraft, such as the space shuttle and the International Space Station, which have to alter their orbits occasionally to avoid a direct hit.

"Successful deployment and testing of the sail can enable a low cost/mass solution to be used for future satellites and launch vehicle upper stages reducing dramatically the problem of space debris...,"said lead researcher on the project, Dr Vaios Lappas.

CubeSail is expected to be available for shifting existing debris from 2013.