Space junk: Airbus' detumbler intended to prevent uncontrolled debris in low orbit

In the future, Airbus plans to use a device called a detumbler to better stabilize satellites in low earth orbit (LEO) when they have reached the end of their operational life. This is intended to counteract the problems of space debris, as this is becoming an increasing problem with the growing supply of end devices that provide internet from space.

In the past, it was mainly expensive satellite phones that utilized the limited capacity in space as end devices, but today, given the growing constellations of small satellites, even regular LTE devices can connect to satellites. Corresponding networks are being set up and some consumer devices have long been on the market, albeit with very special and limited satellite communication capabilities.

Airbus plans to equip this large number of satellites with the 100 gram detumbler in future, which is designed to prevent satellites from tumbling out of control. Using the Earth's magnetic field, an eddy current is generated by an internal rotor as soon as a satellite begins to tumble. In normal operation, the rotor simply follows the magnetic field like a compass. When tumbling, however, the rotor produces resistance.

There are likely to be a lot of tumbling satellites in low orbit in the future and it is not always expected that they will automatically fall back to earth.

The first test is scheduled to take place in early 2024 with Endurosat's nanosatellite, the Exo-0. It was launched into space on November 11, 2023. Exo-0 will carry out a series of preplanned tumbling which the detumbler then attempt to counteract.

In the future, it may become easier for orbital cleanup missions to capture these out-of-control satellites. Corresponding plans are already in place here and there. Clearspace-1, for example, plans to try this out with larger pieces of space debris in a few years.