Contributions to Eco-Friendly Satellite Lean Design for a Sustainable Space Environment

Sep 17, 2024

Jeimmy Nataly Buitrago Leiva defended on September 16 her thesis co-directed by José Adriano Camps Carmona at the North Campus of the UPC. Entitled "Contributions to Eco-Friendly Satellite Lean Design for a Sustainable Space Environment", the thesis presents research that proposes an eco-friendly satellite design and operational approach focused on the integration of space sustainability strategies, adopting practices green within the NewSpace paradigm. For a complete analysis of the whole life process of satellites, it is necessary to integrate ecological and efficient manufacturing features. As a result, this concept is defined to bring together the many efforts for a sustainable space and considers the innovative technologies that need to be created for this type of standard satellites

Contributions to Eco-Friendly Satellite Lean Design for a Sustainable Space Environment — LEO/GEO satellites anomalies and solar and geomagnetic activity correlation (2010-2022). Sunspot count and CME linear velocity are used to quantify solar activity, whereas Kp-index and DST are used to quantify geomagnetic activity. Despite using a monthly timescale for analysis, this figure is plotted by grouping four months for visual simplicity

Currently, half of the satellites do not reach 20% of their expected lifetime. The possibility of recycling these “zombie satellites" (ZS) with limited capabilities would lead to an optimization of this on-orbit infrastructure, reducing unnecessary launches, and being more cost-effective, as for example, a 12U CubeSat costs around €2.5 million to manufacture and launch. In this way, it will not be necessary to launch some new satellites for these new missions, with the corresponding positive environmental and economic impact. Based on the ZS concept, this research proposed an eco-friendly satellite design and exploitation approach, centered on integrating space sustainability strategies, adopting green practices, within the NewSpace paradigm. For a complete analysis of the whole satellite life process, it is necessary to integrate eco-friendly and lean manufacturing characteristics. As a result, this concept is defined to bring together the numerous efforts for a sustainable space and considers the innovative technologies to be created for this kind of standard satellites

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