SPACE DEBRIS - NEW ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS FRONTIERS
2022-26-1139
05/26/2022
- Content
- Due to the magnitude of launches in recent times, there is a significant rise in space debris. This perpetual forecasted increase has provided the engineers and business forerunners an opportunity to introduce new markets in the removal and resale of Space Debris as an economic good. The paper shall propose two aspects of the conduction of Space Debris trade: Engineering and Business. The recovery of the debris consists of a Parasitic Satellite with ion-thrusters and onboard compact flight computers, which clings onto massive space debris and forces them for re-entry into the atmosphere, at a trajectory that is safe and traffic-free. These parasitic satellites can be manufactured in three size variations depending upon the target space debris, to maintain weight constraints for the rocket carrier. They are deployed at the target orbits by a carrier. While the large metallic debris is removed by the satellites using electromagnets, the smaller debris is captured by a Wolverine material, held by a group of parasitic satellites, so that the net can heal even if the debris tries cutting through the fabric. Considering the capital required to build such a technology, the financial aspects are taken care of- with a community-based investment fund, where common people can invest in space technologies and assured of returns from the proceeds received from the resale of space debris. This can open New Space policies and economies with the introduction of new businesses. The selling price of these space debris is marked by using a novel relative pricing method, where the market is an elastic fabric and the space debris based on various categories (like material, demand) is given its gravity in the fabric, thereby influencing the price of the other debris based on the region they are located in the fabric. The lot-based pricing model ensures that there is RoI for all the investors, and the demandsupply curve is kept elastic. The retrieved metals can also be used by indigenous communities to make their ethnographic art which can improve its market demand and thus uplifting even the communities’ economic degree. This reuse and resale of debris can reduce the mining of ores to a great extent thereby even improving the environment both on earth and in space.
- Citation
- Giridharan, N., "SPACE DEBRIS - NEW ENGINEERING AND BUSINESS FRONTIERS," SAE Technical Paper 2022-26-1139, 2022, .