Current projects
CHARDEM – Characterization of Demisable Materials
The project, which is lead by the DLR in Cologne, is focused on the analysis of materials that are typically used in spacecraft construction, e.g. aluminum, titanium or carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), using a hypersonic wind tunnel. To characterize the material properties related to atmospheric re-entry, the analysis is performed under similar conditions that occur in Earth's atmosphere during re-entry. The material samples are manufactured by QinetiQ Space (Belgium) and are analyzed prior to and after the wind tunnel test at the Austrian Foundry Research Institute (ÖGI). HTG carries out the SCARAB simulations that correspond to the wind tunnel tests.
D4D – Multi-Disciplinary Assessment of Design for Demise Techniques
The three projects run in parallel to investigate multiple techniques to improve spacecraft demisability during atmospheric re-entry. The goal of the projects is to work out the most effective methods of design for demise. As partner in all three projects, HTG is carries out the SCARAB analyses to enable the evaluation of the particular methods. The three consortia consist of Thales-Alenia Space and Altran Technologies SA (France), Airbus Defence & Space, Fluid Gravity Engineering Ltd (UK) and Belstead Research Ltd (UK), as well as DEIMOS Space and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Swiss).
Debris Attitude Motion Measurements and Modeling
The project goal is to achieve a good understanding of the attitude evolution and the considerable internal and external effects which occur. To characterize the attitude state of selected targets in low Earth orbit and geostationary transfer orbit, multiple observation methods are combined. Optical observations are carried out by AIUB, Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is performed by the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IWF) and radar measurements and signal level determination are provided by the Fraunhofer Institute for High Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques (FHR). The In-Orbit Tumbling Analysis tool (ιOTA) is a prototype software, currently in development by HTG within the framework of the project.
DRAMA Upgrade - Upgrade of DRAMA's Spacecraft Entry Survival Analysis Codes
In cooperation with DEIMOS Space, etamax and the Institute of Space Systems of the TU Braunschweig, we are updating and extending the re-entry and risk analysis module SARA (Spacecraft Entry Survival Analysis) of ESA's DRAMA (Debris Risk Assessment and Mitigation Analysis) suite, implementing up-to-date methods and extending the range of functions of SARA's two submodules SESAM (Spacecraft Entry Survival Analysis Module) and SERAM (Spacecraft Entry Risk Analysis Module).
You can download DRAMA from the ESA/ESOC Space Debris User Portal.
RADID – Rapid Assessment of Design Impact on Debris Generation
The project is carried out by the collaboration of Astos Solutions, Airbus Defence & Space and HTG. The scope of the project is the development of a software product for early and rapid assessment of design for demise technique decisions, in particular on the number and composition of generated fragments during atmospheric re-entry.