Aug 2026· International journal of computer information systems and industrial management applications· Vol 18, pp. 1-10· 0 citations
Abstract
The increasing deployment of small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) has intensified concerns regarding orbital sustainability, collision risk, and space debris accumulation. Satellites operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO), around 400 km altitude, experience significant atmospheric drag, leading to rapid orbital decay and frequent orbit maintenance requirements. This paper examines orbit maintenance strategies for a representative 200 kg satellite operating within this altitude regime. The analysis includes the primary environmental perturbations affecting orbital lifetime, station-keeping maneuver requirements, expected maneuver frequency, propellant consumption estimates, orbital decay behavior, and planned end-of-life reentry approaches. Results indicate that atmospheric drag dominates station-keeping requirements and can necessitate annual velocity corrections ranging from 20 to 80 m/s depending on solar activity. Furthermore, the naturally short orbital lifetime of satellites below 400 km offers a sustainable pathway for debris mitigation through controlled or semi-controlled atmospheric reentry.
The growth of CubeSat missions has expanded access to space for diverse applications and high-bandwidth, low-latency communication. This expansion has intensified concerns regarding orbital debris and the long-term sustainability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Current regulations prescribe post-mission disposal periods of f...
Elham Baneshi, Daniel Faran, Daniel Asante et al.· IEEE Journal of Radio Freque...· 0 citations
Introduction: Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is currently overcrowded with over 130 million pieces of orbital debris, ranging from defunct spacecraft to shattered upper rocket stages. At orbital velocities exceeding 7.8 km/s, even millimetre-sized fragments possess sufficient kinetic energy to cause catastrophic damage to activ...
Post-mission disposal (PMD) non-compliance threatens the long-term sustainability of Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Between 2010 and 2024, only 40% of satellites in non-naturally compliant orbits successfully deorbited. As launch rates and large constellations expand the active population, reducing satellite derelicts is incre...
I. Brownhall, D. Kaffine, D. Kilpatrick et al.· Nature Communications· 0 citations
This work is part of the BIS Orbital Settlement technical project, which is studying near-term possibilities for an expansion of industrial civilisation, on Earth and in space. This will be facilitated by the construction of large orbital habitats in jig- factories. This paper describes the launch and orbital transfer...
R. Soilleux· JBIS - Journal of the Britis...· 0 citations
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