The In-Orbit Economy: Life-cycle of satellites and other infrastructure in space – Friday 8^th July 2022, 2.30 – 3.10pm

Abstract:

Satellites provide critical Earth monitoring data, broadcasting and timing services to people and organisations on Earth. These services are so critical, that satellites are launched to provide them despite the expense and risk involved. One of the reasons for the expense and risk of space is the high failure rate of satellites: 25% of all insured satellites have a critical (mission ending) failure before the end of their design life. Further remote monitoring and servicing of satellites in-orbit will mitigate many of these failures, but has not been available until now. HEO Robotics has been inspecting satellites since 2020 and is the first ever company to perform this function commercially. In this talk, the use of inspection technologies will be discussed in the context of helping satellite operators maintain their satellites, as well as the further maintenance technologies that inspection enables.

Inspection and other in-orbit services will lead to a vibrant in-orbit economy that looks more like the engineering equipment industry on Earth, where the reuse and recycling of old satellites will be more akin to the rail, mining and oil and gas industries.

Presenter: