An Illustration of Space Debris Littering Earth Orbit

Earth’s orbit is a complex environment, with abandoned spacecraft meandering through the darkness of space. To address the escalating issue of space debris, Airbus has developed a groundbreaking new device aimed at preventing satellites from tumbling aimlessly once they reach the end of their operational life.

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The innovative device, known as Detumbler, was successfully launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket as part of SpaceX’s Transporter-9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Among the 90 payloads carried by the mission, Detumbler stands out as a magnetic damping tool designed to be attached to satellites nearing the end of their operational lifespan. Weighing approximately 100 grams, the device features a central rotor wheel and magnets that interact with Earth’s magnetic field to prevent erratic motion when satellites begin to tumble. Under normal conditions, Detumbler aligns with Earth’s magnetic field, but if the satellite starts to tumble, the rotor’s movement triggers eddy currents and creates friction to counteract the motion.

Developed by Airbus in 2021 with support from the French Space Agency CNES as part of its Tech4SpaceCare initiative, Detumbler serves the critical function of addressing the escalating threat of space debris. Defunct satellites typically exhibit unpredictable tumbling behavior due to orbital dynamics, posing risks of collision or uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. However, Detumbler aims to ensure defunct satellites remain on a predictable path in Earth’s orbit, facilitating their capture by future space debris clean-up missions.

In early 2024, Airbus’ pioneering device will be put to the test on the Exo-0 nanosatellite from EnduroSat, where a series of detumbling demonstrations will showcase Detumbler’s capabilities.

According to the Department of Defense’s global Space Surveillance Network, over 27,000 pieces of orbital debris are currently being tracked, with numerous smaller pieces floating undetected. As the global space industry expands, the number of debris is expected to rise, raising the likelihood of collisions in space. In fact, a recent space debris clean-up mission was itself struck by debris in August, underscoring the urgency of implementing effective mitigation strategies.

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