Project description
A novel deorbit kit for satellites could soon hit the market
An electrodynamic tether is a long conductor, typically a tape of aluminium, attached to a spacecraft that carries an electric current and exchanges momentum with the Earth magnetosphere. The interaction between the current and the Earth magnetic field generates a Lorentz drag force on the tape that deorbits the spacecraft. An EU-funded project is currently developing a deorbit kit mounted on satellites that will be activated at the end of their life to ensure safe disposal after they complete their mission. The goal of the EU-funded BMOM project is to develop a business model for the deorbit kit to maximise its socio-economic impact and increase its competitiveness in the European space industry.
Objective
An ElectroDynamic Tether (EDT) is a long conductor, typically a tape of aluminum, attached to a spacecraft that carries an electric current and exchanges momentum with the Earth magnetosphere. In particular, the interaction between the current and the Earth magnetic field generates a Lorentz drag force on the tape that deorbits the spacecraft without using propellant. The FET project with acronym E.T.PACK is developing a Deorbit Kit (DK) that will be bolt-on to satellites and activated at the end-of-life for post mission disposal. The goal of BMOM is making a business model for the DK in order to turn the flagship result of E.T.PACK into a genuine innovation with a disruptive socio-economic impact in the space sector while increasing the competitiveness of the European space industry. Besides activities on market analysis and competitiveness assessments, BMOM’s dissemination plan includes meetings with potential investors, customers, and public bodies in order to create the conditions to accelerate the development and the future commercialization of two concrete products: the DK and the EDT mission analysis software BETsMA v2.0. In particular, BMOM will:
(i) perform a market analysis for the DK and BETsMA, (ii) define the most important use cases, (iii) address the industrial needs and cost to reach a commercial product, (iv) validate the DK use cases with respect to competitors, and (v) provide financial indicators of the identified business for the DK and BETsMA. These activities match with the expertise of BMOM’s consortium that includes a space product developer (SENER AE), an international consultant with deep knowledge on the space market (Euroconsult), and an academic partner with the expertise and know-how on EDTs (UC3M). BMOM has been designed to be the bridge between E.T.PACK which will end by 2022 with a DK with TRL equal to 4, and a follow-up 2-year project that may end with the in-orbit demonstration of the DK by 2024.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
CSA-LSP - Coordination and support action Lump sumCoordinator
48930 Las Arenas
Spain