Guardians of the Galaxy

Post Date: 13 Mar 2020

guardians-of-the-galaxy The TP team, with a model of their space debris destroyer

Given the challenge of finding a way to remove and reduce the amount of space debris such as decommissioned satellites, defunct rockets and exploded mechanical parts that are currently floating aimlessly in space, a team of TP Aerospace students, calling themselves “Team Vacuum Cleaners”, designed and proposed the deployment of a space debris destroyer that would be able to capture and destroy pieces of debris orbiting in space.

 

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After intensive research and in-depth study, the TP Team unveiled the concept of their debris destroyer, called the “Servicer”. Effectively, it is an unmanned spacecraft comprising a main unit, called the “Mothership”, and a detachable smaller unit, called the “De-tumbler”. Once released, the De-tumbler moves towards the targeted debris and seizes it with a Retractable Tentacle Mechanism. The De-tumbler, along with the captured debris, then couples back to the Mothership.

 

In addition, the Mothership is also equipped with an extendable robotic arm with a “De-orbiter” module. When the Mothership approaches the targeted debris, the arm reaches out, allowing the De-orbiter to dock onto the debris' launch adapter ring. The debris is then hauled back to the Mothership. Equipped with 2 De-orbiter modules, the Mothership can perform this operation twice.

 

Carrying a total of 3 pieces of captured debris, the Servicer then re-enters to the earth's atmosphere, disintegrating at high speed along with the 3 pieces of captured debris.

 

The team’s effort won them the Merit award in the annual Singapore Space Challenge, organised by the Singapore Space & Technology Association on 6 Feb 2020.

 

Participating in such competitions allows TP’s Aerospace students to apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired from their diploma course, exercise their creativity, and max their potential.

 

For more information about the Diploma in Aerospace Engineering, click here.

For more information about the Diploma in Aerospace Electronics, click here.

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