POEM-3 Mission and Space Debris

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POEM-3 Mission and Space Debris

POEM-3 Mission and Space Debris

Context: Astronomers have discovered the most massive stellar-mass black hole in our galaxy, the Milky Way, named Gaia BH3. It is located about 2,000 light-years away in the constellation Aquila, making it the second-closest known black hole to Earth. The discovery was made using data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission, which detected a star exhibiting \'wobbling\' motions near the black hole, revealing its presence.

About:
• POEM Development: Developed by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), POEM is an innovative space platform that repurposes the fourth stage of a PSLV rocket into a stable orbital station for scientific experiments with diverse payloads.
• Inaugural Use: POEM was first used during the PSLV-C53 mission in June 2022. Traditionally, the fourth stage of the PSLV becomes space debris after deploying satellites, but in this mission, it was repurposed into a stable platform for conducting in-space experiments.
• Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) System: According to ISRO, POEM is equipped with a dedicated Navigation Guidance and Control (NGC) system. This system is responsible for stabilizing the attitude and orientation of the aerospace vehicle within permissible limits.
• POEM-3 Mission (PSLV C-58): During the PSLV C-58 mission on January 1, 2024, after deploying the XpoSat satellite, the fourth stage was converted into POEM-3. It was then maneuvered to a lower 350-kilometer orbit to significantly reduce the risk of space debris generation.

Space Debris:
• Definition of Space Debris: Space debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) consists of fragments of spacecraft, rockets, defunct satellites, and objects resulting from explosive deterioration due to anti-satellite missile tests. LEO extends from 100 km to 2000 km above Earth\'s surface, while space debris also exists in smaller quantities in the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) at 36,000 km above Earth.
• Risk Posed by Space Debris: Space debris travels at speeds up to 27,000 kilometers per hour and poses a significant risk to space assets due to their volume and momentum. This debris can create unusable regions in orbit and contribute to the \'Kessler syndrome,\' where one collision leads to cascading collisions and generates more debris.
• Projected Growth of Space Debris: The number of space objects larger than 10 cm in size in LEO is estimated to reach about 60,000 by 2030, according to ISRO. The rise of private space agencies is exacerbating this problem.
• Current Status and Events: In 2022, the world placed 2,533 objects in space through 179 launches. Significant
debris events included intentional destruction of Russia\'s Cosmos 1048, break-up of Japan\'s H-2A upper stage, and accidental explosion of China\'s Yunhai-3 upper stage.
• Recent Incidents: NASA confirmed debris from the International Space Station (ISS) crashed into a home in Florida. An object found in Australia\'s Western Shores was identified as debris from an ISRO rocket.
• International Space Laws and Guidelines: There are currently no specific international laws addressing LEO debris, but most space-exploring nations adhere to the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines 2002 by the Inter Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), endorsed by the UN in 2007. These guidelines aim to mitigate accidental collisions, break-ups during operations, intentional destruction, and post-mission break ups in space.
• The IADC (Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee) is an international forum coordinating
efforts to address space debris issues. ISRO is a member, actively participating in global initiatives to manage
the risks posed by space debris.

How countries dealing with the problem of space debris:

Country	Initiatives and Projects
India	- Conducts POEM missions to repurpose rocket stages into stable orbital stations for experiments. India also established a Space Situational Awareness Control Centre to prevent collisions with valuable assets. Project NETRA serves as an early warning system in space to detect debris and protect Indian satellites. Manastu Space, an Indian startup, focuses on in space refueling, satellite de-orbiting, and extending satellite lifespan.
Japan	- Implements the Commercial Removal of Debris Demonstration (CRD2) project to address space junk.
Europe	- European Space Agency (ESA) adopts a \'Zero Debris charter\' with various methods to mitigate space debris and aims for zero space debris by 2030.
USA	- NASA\'s Orbital Debris Program, established in 1979, focuses on reducing orbital debris and developing technologies to track and remove existing debris. The U.S. Space Force, a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, tracks space debris and monitors potential collisions in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Way Forward:

Proposed Solutions	Description
Space-Based Recycling and Repurposing	Developing technologies to collect and process space debris in orbit. \'Space refineries\' could break down debris into usable materials for constructing new spacecraft or habitats in space, reducing the need for new launches from Earth. Techniques like 3D printing could utilize recycled materials, minimizing raw material launches into space.
Robotic Arms and Capture Mechanisms	Developing advanced robotic arms equipped with cameras and sensors for grappling with debris. These robots could be deployed from service satellites to capture and deorbit large pieces of debris that pose significant collision risks. Docking mechanisms could be installed on satellites during manufacturing,
Space Traffic Management Systems	Developing sophisticated space traffic management systems to track debris and predict potential collisions. This would allow active satellites to perform maneuvers to avoid debris, reducing the risk of accidental collisions that create even more debris. International collaboration is crucial for creating a comprehensive space traffic management system ensuring the safety and sustainability of space exploration.