AMOOS to clean the Space! ISU SSP14 TP Presentation

August 7th, 2014: All team projects done by the participants of the 27th Space Studies Program (SSP14) of the International Space University (ISU) were presented at École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) de Montréal, Québec, Canada, an event co-hosted by ETS and HEC Montréal (HEC).

Source [Img1]

SSP14 attracted 122 participants, representing 31 countries, to a program that showcased ISU’s first all-female international astronaut panel,

The first women panel was with Julie Payette, Retired Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Astronaut and Chief Operating Officer of the Montreal Science Centre, Soyeon Yi, Korean Astronaut Program astronaut and first South Korean in space, Shannon Walker, NASA Astronaut and Wang Yaping, China National Space Administration Astronaut and People’s Liberation Army Air Force Captain. Source [Img1]

Source [Img1]

TP AMOOS

The second team project presented was the Autonomous Mission for On-Orbit Servicing (AMOOS). The Chair of this project was professor René Jr Landry and the teaching associate, Adam Vigneron, both from Canada. Take a look at the first and the second articles published on this Substance Web platform to get an introduction of this project.

Source [Img2]

The Autonomous Mission for On-Orbit Servicing (AMOOS) calls for a small space shuttle to be equipped with space robotics such as the next-generation Canadarm. The shuttle is capable of repeated flights into space, where it could refuel satellites, replace defective satellite components, and remove space debris from valuable orbits. In addition to the technical feasibility of AMOOS, the team is examining legal implications, commercial opportunities, and methods of transparency-building to ensure the mission’s viability.

Project Goals

As described in the ISU SSP14 web site, the AMOOS project had three goals:

The first goal of the AMOOS project is to unravel the business case of autonomous on-orbit servicing. AMOOS can serve as an appealing alternative to complex, risky and expensive manned missions, launched on top of expensive launch vehicles, from expensive launching sites, to service expensive satellites! Specific benefits to be explored include: re-usability, reliability, cost effectiveness, quick mission turnaround, and secondary payloads.

AMOOS team participants. Source [Img3]

 The second goal of AMOOS is to promote the utilization of space robotic arms to capture or de-orbit objects such as errant satellites or large debris. Space debris still poses a collection of major issues. Among these are on-orbit collisions and explosions, orbit congestion, and hazards to humanity – all compounded by the difficulty of debris tracking and monitoring. As the density of orbital objects increases, the Kessler Syndrome becomes a looming threat. It is absolutely necessary to develop remediation activities!

A simulation of a panel of experts done during the TP AMOOS presentation. Source [Img3]

The third goal of the AMOOS project is to promote an all-in-one package of unmanned spaceplane and space robotics suitable for an autonomous on-orbit servicing mission. The principal space-faring countries appear willing to support unmanned space technology. There are several advantages: they save lives, they save time, and they save money!

International delegates simulation done during the TP AMOOS presentation. Source [Img3]

Project presentation

The team AMOOS presentation:

SSP15

The 28th edition of the Space Studies Program (SSP15) will be held at Athens, Ohio, USA, from June 8th through August 7th 2015.

Source [Img2]