Airbus-made Detumbler device, designed to prevent satellites at the end of their lives from tumbling, was launched on Nov. 11, and will be tested in space on the mission in association with Exotrail and EnduroSat in 2024.
Developed in 2021 by Airbus, and supported by the French Space Agency CNES under their Tech4SpaceCare initiative, the Detumbler is a magnetic damping device that would be attached to a satellite. The Detumbler includes a central rotor wheel and magnets that interact with the Earth’s magnetic field. When the satellite is flying normally, the rotor acts like a compass following the magnetic field, but should the spacecraft begin to tumble, the rotor movement induces eddy currents acting like a friction torque thus damping the motion, an Airbus statement said.
Dead satellites, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO), often end up tumbling which is natural behaviour due to orbital flight dynamics. Future active debris removal missions will face a greater challenge if spacecraft are tumbling. The Airbus Detumbler – weighing in at around 100g – could therefore be a useful tool for future missions to prevent satellites tumbling after their end of life, making them easier to capture on debris clearing missions.
The in-orbit demonstration of the Detumbler is scheduled for early 2024 on a mission from Exotrail (SpaceVan) which will include the Exo-0 nanosatellite from EnduroSat. Dedicated detumbling tests will take place to verify the ability of the Detumbler to dampen movement, Airbus said.
Eve Air Mobility (Eve), a provider of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs), and Siemens Smart Infrastructure, a leader…
Boeing and Macquarie AirFinance have announced Macquarie's first direct order for Boeing aircraft, with the purchase of 20 737-8s. This…
Airborne Technologies and Smith Myers have announced a new integration contract to equip a De Havilland Twin Otter aircraft with…
Avolon has announced orders for 310 new engines to power 155 Airbus A320neo family aircraft in its order book. Avolon…
Airbus, the Air France-KLM Group, Associated Energy Group, LLC, BNP Paribas, Burnham Sterling, Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc., and Qantas Airways…
A day after it announced that the Netherlands would acquire nine multi-mission C-390 Millennium in a joint order with Austria,…
TREPEL Airport Equipment is making a significant entry into the global airport operator market with a new innovation. The CHARGER…
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force (RAF) now has two Protector RG Mk1 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) operating at RAF…
Virgin Atlantic has confirmed an order for seven A330neo aircraft as part of its ongoing fleet transformation, bringing its total…
Japan Airlines (JAL) has finalised an order with Airbus for 20 A350-900 widebody aircraft and 11 single-aisle A321neo at the…
Vietjet and Airbus have signed a contract for the acquisition of 20 new-generation wide-body A330neo (A330-900) aircraft, valued at USD…
AirAsia has announced the expansion of its operations in Malaysia to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (LTSAAS), also known as…
On the second day of the ongoing Show, Boeing and Qatar Airways announced that the carrier had ordered 20 more…
Brian Yutko, CEO of Boeing-owned Wisk Aero autonomous eVTOL vehicle, expects the aircraft to begin carrying passengers "later in the…
Lockheed Martin and the Slovak Republic have announced the arrival of the first F-16 Block 70 jets in Slovakia, signalling…
HADID International Services and the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) have announced a new strategic partnership through the signing of…
Advanced Air Mobility company Supernal's full-scale electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle product concept, S-A2, is on display at…
Boeing and Antonov Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore collaborative opportunities in defence-related projects. “We’re pleased to…
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has appointed Dror Bar as the new Vice President and CEO of its subsidiary ELTA, following…
The Israeli Ministry of Defense's Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) recently hosted a Demo Day to highlight the…
Drukair - Royal Bhutan Airlines, the national carrier of Bhutan, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to…
Boeing and National Airlines have announced the carrier's commitment to its first order of four 777 Freighters. As the longest-range…
Boeing and Lufthansa Technik have announced an agreement designating Lufthansa Technik as the first Boeing-Licensed Service Center (BLSC) for cabin…
Boeing and Japan Airlines (JAL) have announced a new agreement for up to 20 additional 787 Dreamliners. This deal includes…
The first day of the year's biggest airshow started on a bright note for Embraer with The Netherlands and Austria…
Boeing and Luxair have announced that the European regional carrier is further expanding its fleet with a new order for…
Boeing and Korean Air have announced the airline's intention to acquire up to 50 of Boeing's fuel-efficient widebody planes, including…
ECS Group has reinforced its dedication to employee development with the Discovery internal training platform. This initiative is designed to…
Airbus and the Airports Council International (ACI) World have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at supporting the aviation industry's efforts…
ITP Aero has become the first aeroengine design and manufacturing company to receive Design Organisation Approval (DOA) from the European…
Headquartered in Singapore with reporters spread across all major regions, GBP Aerospace & Defence is a leading media house that publishes three publications that serve the aerospace and defence sector - Asian Defence Technology, Asian Airlines & Aerospace and Daily News. Known industry-wide for quality journalism, GBP Aerospace & Defence is present at more international tradeshows and exhibitions than any other competing publication in the region.
For over three decades, our award-winning team of reporters has been producing top-notch content to help readers stay abreast of the latest developements in the field of commercial aviation, MRO, defence, and Space.
Copyright 2024. GBP. All Rights Reserved.
Home Defence & Security Space Commercial Aviation Maintence Repair & Overhaul Daily News Events About Us
2024 GBP all rights reserved.