Title: Development of a smart composite satellite shield with integrated space debris sensor (SmartShield)

Duration: 2023 - 2025

Funding scheme: MCST Space Upstream Programme

Overall budget: EUR 125,000

UM budget: ca. EUR 82,000

Principal investigator: Dr Robert Camilleri

This project develops a smart sensor integrated in a satellite shield. The sensor is able to detect impact, locate and quantify damage on the satellite shield. Space debris is any man-made objects in orbit that no longer has a useful purpose, and can be classified in three categories according to size: smaller than 1 mm, between 1mm – 10mm, or larger than 10 mm. While debris smaller than 1mm is addressed by satellite shields that are designed to withstand their impacts, debris larger than 50mm is detected by earth observation methods. However, space debris between 1mm and 10 mm at low Earth orbit (where velocities are over 5 km/s) offer a threat to orbiting satellites as they are too small to detect by in-situ technologies and contain significant kinetic energy to damage the satellite shield. While traditional material testing achieves a pass or no pass criteria, there is a significant requirement to detect impacts and quantify the level of damage following an impact. Such awareness is important to establish if the satellite needs to be repaired or replaced.