A Satellite had to Dodge Space Junk as it was Raising its Orbit to Avoid Solar Activity

In the US, the phrase "when it rains, it pours" is used to mean that bad things happen at the same time. It doesn't have to apply to things that can be wet. There were a number of bad things that could have happened to the satellite, but the team responsible for it took quick action to avoid some of the worst consequences.

The satellite system that had a bad day recently is made up of three satellites. To study Earth's magnetic field, the three satellites must fly in close coordination. There was a bit of panic when the team found out that Alpha had a high chance of being hit by a piece of space debris.

The European Space Agency satellites have to dodge about two pieces a year, with many more potential warnings coming down the pike from the Space Debris Office. The eight-hour time frame was much tighter than usual because warnings usually come with at least 24 hours' notice.

Time crunch is due to how difficult it is to pick where and how to avoid. There are many factors involved in the decision-making process. It would be hard for anyone to make those decisions in a short period of time.

There was already a shortened timeline and a series of orbital correction maneuvers to avoid another potential hazard. There are differences in the activity of the sun. The craft is slowed down when there are more sun spots.

The Sun is experiencing an increase in solar activity as a result of a spike in its solar cycle, creating more drag for Swarm than it had previously experienced. The mission could be stopped from being able to collect data if Alpha and Charlie switched places in their circles. The satellites could have been dragged out of the sky if left unattended.

Only a few hours after the satellite was forced to dodge debris, one of the 25 maneuvers planned to avoid this fate was to take place. There would be issues in maintaining satellite formation if the step was held off for too long.

When a project is threatened, engineers and scientists sometimes have to work with a reaction time to rival an Olympic sprinter. They had a plan to change the direction of the sun. The updated maneuver was performed less than 24 hours later.

If we don't avoid space debris, we will become a civilization affected by Kessler Syndrome. Technology and resources are in place to make sure that doesn't happen. Even though the weather is bad, we must still use them correctly.

You can learn more.

The swarm dodged a collision during the climb to escape Sun.

Before it's too late, we need to fix space junk.

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The ground-based lasers could push debris off the course.