Decommissioning
In the context of aerospace engineering, decommissioning refers to the process of retiring a spacecraft, satellite, or space station from active service. This process involves several stages, including planning, deactivation, deorbiting, and disposal. Planning involves assessing the current state of the spacecraft and determining the best method for decommissioning. Deactivation involves shutting down the spacecraft's systems and functions, often in a specific sequence to prevent damage or uncontrolled reactions. Deorbiting is the process of lowering the spacecraft's orbit to prepare for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere or to move it to a 'graveyard' orbit where it will not pose a risk to other operational spacecraft. Disposal can involve allowing the spacecraft to burn up upon re-entry, or it can involve guiding the spacecraft to a controlled landing or crash, often in a remote area such as an ocean. Decommissioning is a critical aspect of spacecraft lifecycle management, ensuring that end-of-life spacecraft do not pose a risk to other spacecraft or to Earth.
Your Previous Searches
Random Picks
- Passive Heat Exchangers: Passive heat exchangers are devices that transfer heat between two fluids without the use of external power. In space and astronautical engineering, passive heat exchangers are used to regulate the temperature of spacecraft and their compon ... Read More >>
- Public Outreach Programs: Public Outreach Programs refer to the initiatives taken by space and astronautical engineering organizations to engage with the general public and increase awareness and understanding of space-related activities and technologies. These prog ... Read More >>
- Lightweight Materials: Lightweight materials refer to materials that have low density and high strength-to-weight ratio, making them ideal for use in space and astronautical engineering applications. These materials are used to reduce the weight of spacecraft and ... Read More >>
Top News
Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of an...
Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize...
News Source: ABC News on 2024-11-22
First close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy may reveal impending supernova...
Astronomers have taken the first close-up image of a star beyond our galaxy, and it’s a “monster star” surrounded by a cocoon as it slowly dies....
News Source: CNN on 2024-11-21
Bestselling author explains the science of happiness: "You can do the work"...
Bestselling author and Harvard professor Arthur Brooks opens up about how enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning in life can increase a person's wellbeing....
News Source: CBS News on 2024-11-18
November's full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, is the last supermoon of 2024. H...
November's full moon, known as the Beaver Moon, is the last supermoon of 2024. Here's when it peaks and why it's called the Beaver Moon....
News Source: CBS News on 2024-11-15
You can't put a price on the sense of awe particle physics inspires...
Astronomy and particle physics are no longer seen as vital by the US establishment, so funding has fallen. But our work creates a sense of wonder, and wonder matters, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein...
News Source: New Scientist on 2024-11-13