Green Spacecraft Standard Developed by Axelspace
The “Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0” has been established by microsatellite company Alexspace, intending to balance space business and sustainability. These guidelines embody the “Green Spacecraft” concept announced along with the “AxelLiner” business, a one-stop service for microsatellites, in April 2022.
The Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0 guideline for sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of satellites (from planning and design to manufacturing, operation, and disposal of the satellite system) was settled by Axelspace, which has been promoting the space business since the 2000s.
According to Axelspace, the Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0 sets a higher standard than guidelines provided by national governments and international organizations. It is also compliant with the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new rules to dispose of used satellites within five years of the end of their operation, as well as the SSR (Space Sustainability Rating), a sustainability rating system for space operators that has been proposed mainly in Europe. In collaboration with Professor Yasuyuki Miyazaki of the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Nihon University, Axelspace will actively formulate and promote international guidelines, including popularizing SSR in the Asia-Pacific region.
Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0 Combats Space Debris
Currently, there is a large amount of debris in space, and due to the possibility of collisions with spacecraft and the threat to the safety of the orbital environment, immediate action is called for. International coordination is already underway in space observation for collision avoidance and the development of satellite debris prevention and debris removal technologies, and the United Nations has also adopted guidelines for space activities.
As a facilitator of space missions with satellites, Axelspace has developed the “Green Spacecraft Standard 1.0” to reduce the environmental impact of spacecraft manufacturing as much as possible, in addition to not increasing space debris. The guideline goes beyond the installation of anti-debris devices, which has always been a focus of space sustainability, incorporating a wide range of criteria to minimize the environmental impact of satellite projects throughout their life cycle, from the satellite design phase to the end of the mission in space, both on Earth and in space.
However, establishing guidelines alone will not achieve a sustainable satellite business. To that end, Axelspace is establishing design and manufacturing methods to meet each of the standards, one of which is the “D-SAIL” deorbit mechanism (pictured) that allows the satellite to quickly leave its orbit and re-enter the atmosphere after the mission is over.
D-SAIL has been selected as the demonstration theme for the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-4, which is scheduled for launch by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) as a second attempt at the demonstration theme for the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration-3, which failed to reach orbit in October 2022.
(Source: Axelspace news release. Images provided)