Defunct satellites, boosters, and other flotsam that can cause harm to our spacecraft or satellites have been a growing problem for years. End-of-Life Services by Astroscale, also known as ELSA-d, is a servicer spacecraft that is designed as a magnetic capture device that removes a defunct satellite or pieces of space debris from orbit.
ELSA-d was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on March 22, 2021, and entered orbit at a height of 550km before undergoing a commissioning phase in which its systems were thoroughly checked and verified. It has now proven its ability in phase 3a for capturing other satellites repeatedly.
On August 25, a test was conducted to see if the servicer extended its capture device, which linked to the client module by a specific metal disc with an optical target imprinted on it. While the Mission Operations and Ground Segment teams observed the operation and calibrated the rendezvous sensors, the client was pushed away from the servicer, which then withdrew its capture mechanism before re-extending it and recapturing the client several times.
Now that the project has progressed to Phase 3b, ELSA-d will continue to practice moving expertly and cautiously to capture its client with ease. In the fourth phase, ELSA-d will try to capture a tumbling client. After that, it will fly around the client about to inspect it in Phase 5. Finally, it will deorbit the client in Phase 6 before moving to Phase 7, where it will release all propellants and battery fluids before crashing into the atmosphere.
Images by: New Atlas