SPACEKEEPERS

It is proposed a first mission concept, SpaceKeepers-1 (SK-1), that intends to cover three main and critical aspects related to the debris mitigation and remediation:
1. Perform in orbit testing of potential operational practices and technical solution to mitigate LEO S/C visibility. Two major aspects will be analyzed: 1) the optimization of the S/C shape and element distribution (SA and antennas) to minimize reflected surfaces, 2) to control the S/C attitude to lessen solar energy reflected to Earth, particularly near day/night terminator. The possibility to add a radio frequency transparent visor to limit the light from reaching most of the S/C body will also be addressed.
2. Testing of a CubeSat propulsive system for a reliable and secure CubeSat disposal at its end of life. The attempt would feature a single propulsion sub-system with specific redundancy elements suitable to raise the overall SBs reliability. The proposed propulsive SBs is ATHENA™, an electric propulsion system which also has specific features aimed to reduce the debris formation during its disposal phase compared to other propulsion technologies.
3. Last but not least, improving the knowledge of location of space objects. Two independents but key concepts are hereafter proposed:
a) Use of conventional star trackers as space-based sensors for the surveillance and tracking of space objects.
b) Use of a Space Locator Beacon for continuous monitoring of the spacecraft position, as independent as possible to the platform.
As indicated, being the two concepts completely independent, the mission can be restricted to only one of them in case needed to guarantee the fulfillment of the three proposed high-level objectives.
The spacecraft will be in a LEO orbit (450 – 550 km to minimize mission launch costs and be by design complaint with Zero Debris indications), using a 6U CubeSat with a proper AOCS subsystem to fulfill proposed mission objectives and a propulsive subsystem as from bullet 2.