As the space industry continues to expand, so does the amount of space debris that circles the earth. However, according to a recent announcement from HawkEye 360, Inc., three of their satellites have been unintentionally sent to a lower orbit due to a malfunctioning thruster and solar activity.
HawkEye 360, Inc., a satellite-powered analytics company, launched three satellites in June of this year. These satellites are capable of providing services that enable enhanced surveillance, maritime domain awareness, riverine intelligence, and communications. While some of their satellites were sent to a higher orbit around the earth in order to provide improved coverage, these three satellites have been reduced to a shorter orbit of approximately 600 kilometers.
The announcement made by HawkEye stated that the cause of the unintended lower orbit was due to a malfunctioning thruster on one of the satellites. Although the engineers were able to change the attitude or position of the satellite, the thruster proved to be irreparable. This malfunction was then compounded by a series of solar activities that added additional stress on the attitude control system.
Despite the decrease in the orbit, the HawkEye satellites are still capable of performing their duties of providing critical data about the earth’s surface, environmental conditions, and activities around the globe. HawkEye’s engineers have implemented a new strategy which includes additional maneuvers to ensure that the satellites remain within their applicable permissions.
Overall, this incident serves as a reminder to the satellite industry of the importance of spacecraft reliability. Even though the three HawkEye satellites have been sent to the lower orbit, the engineers have proven their efficient ability to adapt while ensuring the successful mission of the satellites.
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