Project description
Training young researchers in cutting-edge technologies for a safer space
As satellites get smaller and easier to build, companies around the world are launching vast numbers of them into low Earth orbit. However, the amount of space debris becomes a crucial problem for maintaining space safety. The implications are significant: would an asteroid impact have devastating consequences for our planet? Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Stardust-R project will train a new generation of scientists and engineers in enabling technologies and effective solutions to critical problems in planetary safety, minor body exploration and the sustainable use of space. Fifteen early-stage researchers will receive interdisciplinary training, which will cover mathematics, physics, computer science and aerospace engineering.
Objective
The current amount of space debris in orbit combined with the expected increase in traffic due to future mega-constallations will have an unprecedented impact on the space environment, posing a serious question on its stability and resilience to any incident or anomalous event. Although statistically less likely to occur, an asteroid impact would have devastating consequences for our planet. Thus Stardust-R will address the growing need for a sustainable exploitation of space, the resilience of the space environment, the threat and opportunities coming from asteroids and comets and the compelling need for properly trained specialists who can tackle these issues.
The key scientific objectives are: 1) to globally characterise the dynamics of objects around the Earth to define disposal solutions, 2) to correlate spatially and temporally distant events and families of debris to their parent object, 3) to quantify uncertainty in celestial mechanics to accurately predict the probability of impact and collision and quantify the resilience of space systems and environment, 4) to develop AI tools and methods for space traffic management, 5) to define a criticality index for small asteroids to identify the need for exploration/characterisation, the possibility for exploitation and the method of deflection, 6) to develop a new distribution model for small size asteroids, 7) to develop systems and algorithms to explore and land on minor bodies with autonomous nano-spacecraft.
These objectives will be achieved via 15 projects developed by 15 Early Stage Researchers who will be trained in math phyisics, computer science and aerospace engineering to provide effective solutions to make the space environment resilient, space exploitation sustainable, learn more about minor bodies and ultimately protect Earth and our space assets.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Coordinator
G1 1XQ Glasgow
United Kingdom
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Participants (13)
00133 Roma
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700506 Iasi
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28760 Tres Cantos (Madrid)
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20133 Milano
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56126 Pisa
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67663 Kaiserslautern
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Participation ended
28049 Madrid
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10679 Athens
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51147 Koln
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11000 Belgrade
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2628 CN Delft
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2623 AX DELFT
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The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
28040 Madrid
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Partners (9)
Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
546 36 THESSALONIKI
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
28359 Bremen
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
78701 2982 Austin
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
28903 Getafe (Madrid)
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
85281 Tempe
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
Kyoto
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
75015 PARIS
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
SG1 2AS Stevenage
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
75039 Paris
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