ISI Develops a Shading Satellite to Ease Global Warming
13 June, 2023
ImageSat International (ISI) has joined a demonstrator satellite development project to address the global climate crisis. The satellite will test the feasibility of deploying shading sails between the Sun and the Earth, potentially reducing global warming by up to one and a half degrees. ISI is collaborating with the Asher Space Institute at the Technion (Haifa, Israel), led by Prof. Yaakov Rozen, and the National Center for Space and Science at the UAE University. The cooperation agreement has recently been signed, and the parties are seeking additional partnership opportunities.
ISI’s CTO, Doron Shterman, stated that the goal is to launch the satellite within the next 3–4 years, with an estimated cost of tens of millions of dollars. The satellite will be positioned at a fixed location (Lagrange Point 1), approximately 1.5 million kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Once positioned, the satellite will deploy a wide sail aimed at controlling the amount of solar energy reaching the Earth. This groundbreaking concept originated at the Technion.
Space Sunshade
Lagrange points are locations where gravitational forces achieve equilibrium, enabling objects to maintain a fixed position relative to the Sun and the Earth. Lagrange Point 1 is located approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth and 150 million kilometers from the Sun.
Shterman explained, “As L1 is not entirely stable, maintaining the satellite’s position in space will require a significant amount of energy. We plan to achieve this by controlling the sail and adjusting its tilt, allowing the satellite to orbit around L1 with a precision level of 12,500 kilometers.”
To materialize this climate control concept, a massive sail or an array of satellites equipped with smaller sails is required. Various deployment and shading methods are under consideration. One potential approach involves harnessing the electromagnetic properties of the material to regulate the amount of solar energy passing through the sail, allowing control over the level of shading. The demonstrator satellite will facilitate the investigation of sail-controlling technologies, optical characteristics analysis, and passive stabilization implementations.
Strategic Overhaul
The satellite will reach its final location through a gradual process. “Currently, no rocket-powered vehicles exist that can directly launch satellites to L1. Instead, existing launchers can place the satellite into an elliptical orbit, from which it can gradually ascend to L1, similar to lunar missions,” Shterman noted.
Additionally, one of the project’s objectives is to address international regulatory concerns. “As of today, there are no specific regulations regarding interventions for global warming. However, such regulations are necessary since a project of this scale requires extensive global cooperation.”
ImageSat International is renowned for its space-based intelligence solutions, primarily relying on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) EROS observation satellites. Over the past five years, ISI has expanded its capabilities by developing and manufacturing its own satellites. Among them is the Knight model, one of the smallest military satellites, weighing only 180 kg and capable of capturing images of 4 km sampling strips with 50 cm resolution. Additionally, ISI collaborated with US-based Tyvak to create the Runner satellite, which weighs 86 kg and provides imagery with a 70 cm resolution and 5.6 km sampling strips.
Translated by P. Ofer
Posted in: Aerospace & Defense, Energy & Environment, News
Tags: ImageSat, ISI, Satellite, Space