May 2023

HPS is Prepared to Provide ADEO Special Stealth Sail Edition for Europe´s IRIS² Constellation Satellites

The ever-growing number of satellites orbiting Earth presents a significant challenge in terms of space debris management. As space agencies and private companies deploy increasing numbers of satellites, finding effective and sustainable solutions for their safe disposal has become paramount. In this regard, the ADEO Deorbit Sail, developed by HPS offers a groundbreaking technology that enables controlled and efficient satellite deorbiting for mitigating space debris and ensuring long-term sustainability in space. By harnessing the natural forces present in space, such as solar radiation pressure and atmospheric drag, the sail facilitates controlled reentry of satellites into Earth’s atmosphere at the end of their operational life.

ADEO has already reached ESA´s hightest level of maturity, TRL 9 and proven its reliability on a number of spaceflights; getting ready to serve Europe´s new constellation IRIS2 its NewSpace-team at HPS, Munich, take it even one step further and introduce the ADEO special “stealth” sail edition. While irritating reflections and view blocking effects of conventional constellations like Starlink cause a permanent nuisance to other users of space like astronomers during flight and deorbit, the constructors of Europe´s constellation IRIS2 are going can count on to receive from HPS an exclusive offer for a special version: the ADEO Stealth Sail –invisible, fully transparent and also available for most satellite types and operational orbits.

As HPS-CEO Ernst K. Pfeiffer explains: “Our ADEO deorbit system already presents numerous benefits and applications in satellite end-of-life management like cost- & mass-effective and sustainable deorbiting, compliance with current and future Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, flexibility and adaptability. Now, with the special stealth version for dedicated to the architects of Europe´s IRIS2 constellation we take the decisive step to let Europe set yet another standard in space sustainability”.

January 2023

3 – 2 – 1 – Next liftoff for the HPS space sail ADEO-N3 on the satellite carrier ION of the Italian mission provider D-ORBIT

Already in the heat of last summer, HPS in Munich was preparing for the third mission of the innovative space brake sail ADEO-N, which unfolds automatically at the end of the mission and drives “its” satellite into the atmosphere to burn up. This technology avoids the formation of new space debris already on the ground and finally makes space missions sustainable.

The ION Satellite Carrier with ADEO-N3 with its sail area of 5sqm has been on board a Falcon 9 since the picture book start on January, 31, 2023 from spaceport Vandenberg, California, now on the way to the target orbit at 270 to 500 km altitude at 53 degrees inclination. Probably by the end of 2023 ADEO-N3 will then, as on previous flights – including one with ION also on Falcon 9 – deploy the braking parachute and remove its ION Satellite Carrier from orbit without leaving any residue many times faster than usual. With the flight heritage accumulated by then, the mature ADEO system heralds a “green” space age. Because at least for European missions or missions from Europe, there will – in all probability – no longer be any more launches without deorbit tech on board: The Green Deal of the EU will then also apply to “clean-green missions” in space.

On the current flight, ADEO-N3 acts as another verification of maturity for HPS. D-Orbit and HPS already captured what will happen high above the earth during a nominal mission as historical testimony on video during the last flight:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7021106640993021952

Video is free for publication

The attached video, recorded directly on site with the on-board camera of the ION satellite of the Italian cooperation partner D-Orbit, provides live proof: with the product of HPS, which is now ready for series production after twelve years of development with great support from ESA, DLR and the Bavarian government, a new era of responsibility in space is beginning. ADEO is manufactured in series by HPS at its sites in Munich and Bucharest, primarily for constellation satellites. ADEO products are available for satellites weighing up to 2,500 kilograms at flight altitudes of up to 800 km. Even higher-flying satellites can be operated with ADEO if they have previously lowered their orbit accordingly using their own propulsion. HPS CEO Ernst K. Pfeiffer: “With ADEO on board, satellites do not become space junk in the first place. And at conditions that are ALWAYS more economical than all other options.”