German Space Agency Prepares to Capture Errant Satellites

DEOS servicer targets a client satellite (Credits: DLR).

On September 13 German Space Agency DLR awarded Astrium GmbH a contract to manage the Deutsched Orbital Servicing Mission (DEOS) mission preparation. The one year 15 million Euro contract is intended to pave the way for construction of an experimental servicing satellite.

“The DEOS mission is expected to put this to the test for the first time – as a national technology verification for the maintenance and targeted return of defunct satellites from low Earth orbit,” said DLR executive board member Gerd Gruppe. Gruppe explained that advances in space robotics makes such a mission feasible – while accumulating space debris and inoperative satellites makes satellite servicing a necessity.

DEOS will involve the launch of two satellites – one to act as a servicer and the other as a client. DLR will experiment with capturing and servicing mechanisms using the duo. The project will also be used to expand DLR’s teleoperation capabilities. “We also want to use DEOS to prepare for the introduction of sustainable orbital infrastructures,” explained Gruppe. “This focuses on efficient methods of teleoperation and controlling a satellite’s automated processes.”

The award, announced at the ILA Berlin Air Show, adds DLR to the growing list of organizations who are making satellite servicing and refueling missions a priority. From the Swiss CleanSpace One to the US DARPA satellite recycling project Phoenix, the problem of cleaning up orbital space is garnering increased attention as the debris continues to pile up.

Below, an approaching maneuver for satellite capture: