space tug
BBC NEWS has an article about the coneXpress space tug, the first of which will be launched in 2007 aboard an Ariane. The tug is designed to latch onto the aft kick motor found on most telecommunications satellites, and then to use an ion engine to boost such satellites. This would be done to extend the operating lifespan of satellites which have run out of fuel; their electronics typically last much longer than the fuel supply, so the addition of a tug could extend the satellite life by several years.
No comments:
Post a Comment