AIAA Webinar
Ironstar Engineering Founder and PRRISM Innovator John F. (Ian) Dargin was invited to participate in a Video conference call with the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as their monthly guest speaker on Wednesday, September 16
AIAA Webinar-Ian Dargin: Method and apparatus for removing orbital space debris from near-Earth orbit using the Solar Wind
Ian Dargin is a former Air Force Officer with 22 years of service. He served the US Air Force Space Test Program Office at Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station. While working on the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) program - a joint DOD and NASA space science satellite mission he developed an interest in the science of the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth's geomagnetic field. Which lead to the development of a method to remove small space debris from near earth orbit and received a US patent in December 2019.
Space debris occupies LEO and extends out to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The space junk is comprised of derelict satellites, rocket bodies, nuts, gloves, paint chips, metal fragments from explosions or collisions, and many others. Though space debris de-orbits slowly decays over time, studies have shown that it will not keep pace with the growing amount of space debris. Conventional removal techniques involve the use of a Satellite in the same orbit as the debris which could contribute to the problem.
Platform for Redirecting and Removing Inert Space Material (PRRISM) offers a novel approach by operating outside of the debris orbits. The system utilizes an antenna, generating an electromagnetic (EM) wave to interact with a solar EM wave to streamline magnetic flux in the Polar Cusp and to facilitate the flow of solar plasma through the Polar Cusp, resulting in an increased density, velocity, and pressure at the exit of the Polar Cusp. The elevated plasma flow intercepts and removes small space debris from the LEO and GEO and Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits (GTO) transiting the LEO altitude regimes.
For more information: www.ironstarengineering.com
