Esa will burn up the Draco satellite in 2027 for this reason

The European Space Agency (Esa) Is preparaing to launch a unique satellite in 2027, designed specifically to study how satellites break apart upon rentery into earth’s atmosphere. This mission, named Draco (Destructive Reentery Assessment Container Object), Esa has been awarded the contract to deimos, a european technology company, to build this spacecraft, which will provide invaluable data as it breaks apart during Reenge. This Data will help scientists better undress satellite disintegration and its environmental impact.

Undrstanding Satellite Breakup

The Goal of the Draco Mission is to Collect data on how satellites disintegrate during rentery. By Studying This, Researchers aim to Design Future Satellites that will be full burn up during reantry, reducing the risk of debris Reaching the Earth’s Surface. The mission will also also examine How Spacecraft reantry affects the atmosphere, including how different materials interaction with it and what byproducts are produced.

Innovative Draco Design

At 200 Kilograms, Draco will be about the size of a washing machine. Its design will allow it to break apart like a normal satellite, but a specially enginered capsule will survive rentery. This capsule, measuring 40 centres, will carry four cameras and 200 sensors to record crucial data during the breakup. After rentery, it will deploy a parachute and transmit the collected information before being lost at Sea.

Advanceing Zero Debris Technology

According to holger krag, esa’s head of space safety, the draco mission will play a key role in developing future satellite technology. The data it collects will be used to build more demicable satellites by 2030, aligning with esa’s zero debris charter, which aims to stop the creation of space debris with this decision.

Tim Flohrer, Head of ESA’s Space Debris Office, also emphaged the mission’s importance in help in helping to advance zero-debris technologies, particular as the number of satellite launch Increase Worldwide.