Just over a week ago, SpaceX successfully launched one of the largest rockets ever, a key step in humanity’s journey beyond the earth. While the rocket underwent a ‘rapid unplanned disassembly’ shortly after launch, it gave the company’s engineers a wealth of data for future launches.

The same company also owns the world’s largest constellation of more than 4,000 satellites, StarLink. Constellations like this have great potential. StarLink will provide internet service in the parts of the world that other telecommunication services just don’t reach, and has shown its worth in war-ravaged Ukraine. Other constellations address a range of commercial, academic, and defence applications.

But these two ways of exploring and exploiting space are in tension. Without proper tracking, we face the risk that collisions between small satellites will create a chain reaction, surrounding our planet with an impenetrable cloud of debris.

That is the doomsday scenario predicted by NASA scientist Donald Kessler in 1978. But new technologies are being developed that enable companies and agencies to know precisely where their assets are in real time. Not only protecting against collisions, but improving outcomes and enabling new applications for Earth monitoring.  

So this week, we have delved into the archive to find you an episode of Engineering Matters, that addresses this problem: How can we make the most use of space, without trapping ourselves on Earth?

Guests

Ane Aanesland, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ThrustMe

Mark Heine, Chief Executive Officer, Fugro

Javier Tegedor, Global Navigation Satellite System Scientist, Fugro

Pieter van Duijn, Chief Technology Officer, Loft Orbital

Tyler Jones, Senior Advisor – National Infrastructure, Norwegian Space Agency

Partner

This episode is produced in partnership with Fugro. Fugro is the world’s leading Geo-data specialist, collecting and analysing comprehensive information about the Earth and the structures built upon it. Through integrated data acquisition, analysis and advice, Fugro unlocks insights from Geo-data to help clients design, build and operate their assets in a safe, sustainable and efficient manner.