Un coordinamento in orbita efficace dal punto di vista dei costi per un maggiore accesso all’orbita equatoriale geosincrona in Europa

I fattori geopolitici e la dipendenza dell’Europa dai lanci russi esercitano implicazioni per il suo accesso all’orbita equatoriale geosincrona (GEO, geosynchronous equatorial orbit). L’emergere di nuovi operatori che offrono servizi microsatellitari nella GEO mette in evidenza la necessità di un accesso diretto dell’Europa a quest’orbita; inoltre, i vincoli di costo e le imminenti normative REACH sottolineano l’importanza di veicoli di trasferimento orbitale (OTV, orbital transfer vehicle) efficienti. Alla luce di tali premesse, il progetto GEORyder, finanziato dall’UE, integra un veicolo a propulsione verde e degli OTV per facilitare una logistica in orbita economicamente vantaggiosa e migliorare l’accessibilità alla GEO in Europa. Il progetto, che pone l’accento sull’impiego di propellenti ecologici, anticipa la futura logistica di stoccaggio e trasferimento criogenico.

Obiettivo

GEORyder addresses the Space Transportation technologies in support to In-orbit servicing systems subtopic.
The geopolitical situation has greatly impacted the ability of Europe to access GEO orbit without Russian Launch. In parallel, smaller newcomers are now proposing services based on microsatellite in GEO. Consequently there is an urgent need to facilitate access to direct GEO for Europe. Additionally, upcoming REACH regulations together with cost constraints will lend weight to the evident necessity for efficient orbital transfer vehicles (OTVs). Space Transportation will find new market & innovation through “In-Space” Logistics. In this context, the GEORyder project proposes a combination of a reusable Kickstage vehicle and OTVs equipped with rendez-vous and refuelling capabilities, allowing cost-effective in-orbit logistics, and providing a greater accessibility and affordability for GEO access for Europe. Notably, it will be using green propellant and will be designed to anticipate future cryogenic storage and transfer logistics.
Under the coordination of SME Infinite Orbits (FR) leading the mission design, the vehicle structure and industrialisation will be conducted by Berlin Space Tech. (DE), its propulsion and reusability will be the focus of Dawn Aerospace (NL). Additionally, a cryogenic propellant storage will be developed, with the aim of ensuring a sustainable propellant approach compliant to European Green Deal ambitions and ESA roadmap. Meanwhile, Space Application Services (BE) will manage the refuelling abilities. Deimos (SP) will handle the avionics on agnostic hardware architecture for electronics to ensure the versatility of the vehicle, said-electronics and software will be developed and provided by Skylabs (SL), and Politecnico di Milano (IT) will be focusing on the GNC and Proximity operation for rendez-vous and in-orbit services. Finally, Ariane Space (FR) will ensure the service commercialisation and market analysis.

SDG coperti:

#9 – Imprese, Innovazione e Infrastrutture
#12 - Consumo e Produzione Responsabili

More info: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101135095