Company tracks satellites and other objects; helps prevent collisions that could destroy satellites and prevent future trips into space
Slingshot Aerospace is one of the nominees for the award 2024 Space Journalism Icon Awards Space safety and security category. Slingshot’s primary mission is to monitor and track satellites and help prevent collisions between space objects.
The number of satellites increases year by year
This is no small task, as there are currently more than 8,000 active space objects in orbit. Slingshot estimates that there are approximately There will be 100,000 in orbit by 2030.
|Image: Slingshot Aerospace
Slingshot’s many missions
Slingshot’s mission includes space domain awareness, space traffic coordination, space security and defense, satellite operationsand training and education. A key component of its overall operation is its ground-based sensor network. The company has more than 20 sites around the world with more than 150 optical sensors to track and monitor space objects.
Slingshot’s Seradata Satellite Database
Slingshot’s sensors have made more than 500 million observations, which the company tracks in its Seradata database. This is “The industry’s leading satellite and launch database, providing detailed data on every launch attempt and spacecraft deployed to orbit.”
Telescopes track satellites and other space objects in different orbits
Sensors are basically networks of telescopes and arrays that collect data. More specifically, a telescope has universal joint It uses servo motors to aim and move them at high speeds. These sensors track objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO). Slingshot then uses its software to transform the data into information that can be used by customers.
Slingshot offers a variety of services to its clients. One of these is “silent” or scheduled data collection that tracks satellite movements. Another service is monitoring high-priority satellites using a gimbal telescope, a high-tech subscription program. These sensors are capable of detecting and tracking objects as small as a CubeSat, a nanosatellite that is about 4-5 cubic inches and weighs about 3 pounds.
Avoiding collisions with satellites and space objects is Slingshot’s top priority
Slingshot’s mission goes beyond data collection. A big part of their focus is preventing and avoiding collisions in space. Their software is able to issue warnings or alerts based on detection of maneuvers and changes in direction of satellites and other space objects.
one MITER Corporation 2021 Report. “The Impact of Large Satellite Constellations” adds some context to this situation. The report shows the severity of space collisions and how the risks are increasing. The report contains analysis and recommendations from JASON, an independent group of scientists that advises the U.S. government on science and technology issues.
The report noted that with the increasing number of space objects and the deployment of large satellite constellations (each with approximately 500 satellites), the risk of collisions is also increasing. These collisions will cause more debris to enter orbit, making the situation more dangerous for other satellites and orbiting facilities such as the International Space Station.
Potential dangers of outdated satellites
Jason found that almost all satellites become collision-prone once they get too old. Unless they are successfully shot down or “de-orbited”. Inactive, outdated satellites still in orbit increase the likelihood of more collisions with space objects, causing the risk to become increasingly severe over time.
In addition, the debris field created by the collision can cause additional damage to other satellites and reduce the observing capabilities of ground-based optical and radio astronomy telescopes. The MITER report describes JASON simulations based on current satellite predictions, which found that the growing debris field will lead to “A series of runaway collisions left 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) of orbit unusable for 25 years“.
one A line from a MITER corporate report The report makes this point even clearer: “We are now at the dawn of frequent collision disruptions.”
Chinese experiment shows importance of tracking space objects
The MITER report also describes a 2007 Chinese experiment in which they destroyed a “defunct” or inactive Fengyun satellite with an anti-satellite missile. This created a space debris cloud containing more than 3,000 trackable pieces of debris. They estimate it will take decades for most of the debris to reenter the atmosphere and no longer pose a hazard.
Slingshot Aerospace becomes especially valuable given the importance of satellites for communications, military applications and other uses. Their ability to track objects and identify potential collisions makes space operations safer and more effective.
Mission 1983. Image: NASA
Slingshot Aerospace Nominated for Space News Safety & Security Awards
this Description of Space News Safety & Security Category “The award recognizes efforts to enhance the safety, security and resilience of space activities, including debris management, satellite protection and space situational awareness,” the statement said. Slingshot Aerospace appears to fit that criteria.
SpaceNews isn’t the only organization to recognize Slingshot’s capabilities. The company has attracted many customers, including DARPA, Inmarsat, NOAA, Northrup Grumman, the U.S. Space Force, NASA and others.
