PROtecting access to the SPace Environment by assessing the Risks of space debris

Our ever-expanding use of, and dependence on, space is under threat from space debris – objects resulting from our activities beyond Earth and ranging in size from flecks of paint to whole rocket stages. These pose an impact hazard to orbiting satellites and, ultimately, the continued safe access to space. De-orbiting objects into the atmosphere is also a potential pollution risk. This is thus an anthropogenic, technological geohazard in the near Earth environment arising from aerospace engineering activities. The need for sustainable use of space is thus now a global challenge championed by spacefaring nations and their associated agencies. The PROSPER project will explore three key topics under the subject of “sustainable space” through fundamental laboratory-based research. These are: 1) the development of new debris detectors to better constrain the contemporary flux, 2) the influence of impactor shapes on the damage they inflict, and 3) potential side-effects of currently favoured mitigation strategies (i.e. deorbiting old satellites via atmospheric re-entry). The planned activities will use and expand upon established capabilities of the Impact Facility at the University of Kent, simulating and studying debris impacts experienced in Earth orbit (improving impact detector designs and better understanding impact damage mechanisms), and looking at interactions of high speed objects with an atmosphere (i.e. simulating re-entry) by building on recent advances made in our two-stage light gas gun. Funding will enable my team to make a transformative leap in addressing the critical issue of space debris, by significantly improving current small debris detector capabilities, furthering our understanding of the impact threat posed by debris, and exploring the wider impact of our spacefaring activities on Earth’s atmosphere. PROSPER will deliver publications and essential, actionable data to drive the debris strategies of space agencies and industry stakeholders.