Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Will they have Slim Jims, coffee, and maps too?

I just discovered this rather stunning announcement that a fuel station in space (I can't call it a gas station, because satellites don't really use gas, they use propellant) will launch in 2015. REALLY. 2015. NASA's budget is getting cut into little tiny slivers, and yet a fueling station for satellites running low on propellant will launch in 2015. It will operate on sats in the economically vital geostationary orbit zone.

Now, about this thing. As the article says, it's designed to keep satellites working longer; to extend their orbital lifetime if that lifetime is slated to be cut short due to low propellant. This is touted as a pretty good idea to help reduce the amount of space debris in the form of defunct satellites orbiting Earth. For that I laud the creators of this bold concept.

World's First Space Gas Station for Satellites to Launch in 2015

The refueling craft – a flying satellite gas station – will be built by the Canadian company MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) and is slated to launch in 2015. Communications satellite company Intelsat, based in Luxembourg and Washington, has signed on as its first client, agreeing to pay more than $280 million over time for its satellites to be refueled.


About space debris:

" ...the ability to tow or refuel dead satellites in order to steer them out of the way would have a big impact on the growing problem of dangerous space debris clogging the crowded corridors of Earth orbit.

"In the context of debris removal, this is the absolute best and absolute most fantastic new venture for the entire space community."

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