Stopping Satellite Failures Before they Happen
Meet SCOUT, the innovative space-tech firm looking to extend satellite lifetimes using data.
For the most part, satellites hurtling at tens of thousands of miles per hour above the Earth’s atmosphere work incredibly well. Some, such as the Hubble, managed to operate for decades before decommissioning.
However, satellites face considerable dangers. Those within 800km of the Earth’s surface, for instance, can sometimes see their orbits degrade, putting them at risk of coming into contact with the atmosphere. Others can suffer damage after being bombarded with micrometeorites traveling at high speeds in the vacuum of space. And when things go wrong, it can be very expensive. Costs to replace satellites can range from tens of millions to billions of dollars.
Now, though, a company called SCOUT is entering the market with an array of services that it hopes will protect satellites and make space enterprises more financially secure. According to the company’s website, it is “building the first in-space observation service for high-value space infrastructure and assets.” Think of it as a kind of equipment inspection for space-based objects, providing up-close views of the actual condition of satellites.
The company envisions the service working something like this: the customer first launches their satellite into orbit and positions it close to SCOUT’s satellite, pre-stationed to be ready to provide inspections. If there’s an issue the client’s satellite engineers cannot solve, SCOUT-Sat springs into action. Using its thrusters, it changes its orbit and direction slightly to provide a closer view of the stricken satellite. It then takes visual and thermal readings and feeds them to earth-based engineers who can crunch the data.
The company hopes that customers will see the value proposition in what it is doing. Catastrophic satellite failure is costly and potentially dangerous because of orbital debris. So partnering with SCOUT could help space firms both improve safety and save money.
The company is the brainchild of Eric Ingram — a space industry veteran. Way back in 2014, Ingram saw that space mining was going to take off in the future, but that there was no support infrastructure in place to make it a reality. Creating such a network, he hoped, would transform humanity into a space-faring society.
The company’s long-range vision is to create a system that allows satellite servicing in orbits up to 35,000 km from the surface of the Earth. To do this, he’s teamed up with an all-star cast of industry veterans, including Sergio Gallucci who worked on previous projects with Ingram and other endeavors in the field.
SCOUT recently partnered with Orbit Fab the Gas Stations in Space™ company, to announce the world’s first dedicated situational awareness mission in space. The mission, which will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon rocket later this year, will provide evidence that in-space satellite servicing is feasible. According to Orbit Fab’s CEO, Daniel Faber, the collaboration with SCOUT “will advance a sustainable in-orbit environment for next-generation commerce and protection of the space domain.”
You can learn more about SCOUT through their website and through their social media outlets: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, & LinkedIn.
Also, check out their listing on NewSpace Hub, and see how much funding SCOUT has secured thus far.
