Relocation and orbit modification are performed by an on-orbit servicer attaching to its client, using the servicer’s propulsion to move the client to a different orbit. Kurs Orbital targets GEO relocation because of the large number of high-revenue potential clients in the single orbit.
The communication satellite operator is required to dispose of the satellite before it becomes inoperable. Failure to do so may result in the operator losing its license for the GEO position, a severe economic penalty. If a servicing vehicle were able to dispose of the client satellite after it exhausted its propellant, the operator would have achieved maximum economic return from its satellite. Kurs Orbital de-orbiting missions can be planned years in advance to an advantage of the satellite operator from a fleet maintenance perspective and commercial life extension strategy.
To remove a large object from orbit that is no longer responding to commands, Kurs One servicer would attach to it and perform a maneuver to reduce the orbit perigee to be within the atmosphere. The drag from passing through the atmosphere will either lower the apogee or will heat the object enough to destroy it. Kurs Orbital enables all types of space debris removal missions, securing safe and sustainable orbits for generations to come.
When a satellite is not performing nominally or as planned, it can be useful to examine its exterior for signs of damage or mechanism malfunction. Kurs One on-orbit servicer, several kilometers from the subject spacecraft, can obtain imagery of sufficient detail to identify the source of a problem.