GuardianSat, a startup based in Delaware, made a significant announcement on October 12, revealing that it had secured a grant from the National Science Foundation’s America’s Seed Fund. This funding is intended to propel the company’s groundbreaking technology aimed at safeguarding satellites from potential collisions with space debris.
The grant, a Small Business Technology Transfer Phase 1 research contract, amounts to approximately $273,000. Additionally, GuardianSat will benefit from technical support provided by the Aerospace Corp. The America’s Seed Fund, an initiative that invests up to $200 million annually in promising startups, is backing this endeavor.
GuardianSat’s innovative solution is centered around a debris-avoidance system designed to protect satellites in high Earth orbits. The core technology behind this system was patented by one of the company’s founders, Robert Briskman, who is notably a co-founder of Sirius XM satellite radio.
Huey Wyche, GuardianSat’s research lead, elaborated on their patented solution, stating, “Our patented solution is for high Earth-orbiting satellites. It will include a subsystem to detect orbital debris, track potential collision threats, and autonomously adjust the satellite’s course to prevent accidents.”
This debris-detection technology, known as the Autonomous Satellite Orbital Debris Avoidance System, encompasses satellite control systems, sensor and tracking systems, as well as interfaces that work in conjunction with thruster and communication subsystems on satellites. Notably, it is designed to assist a satellite in returning to its original position after maneuvering to avoid debris and facilitate the exchange of object data with other satellites, enhancing space domain awareness.
Christopher Rohe, CEO of GuardianSat, expressed his enthusiasm about the NSF grant, stating, “The NSF grant will enable us to advance the development of our space domain awareness and avoidance systems. We are excited to take the next steps and continue advancing new and transformative solutions to keep space open.”
GuardianSat was founded in 2020 by Christopher Rohe and Robert Briskman.
Furthermore, Wyche highlighted that GuardianSat is taking a “multi-spectral approach to sensing orbital objects.” Multi-spectral sensors have the ability to differentiate between various types of objects based on their spectral signatures. “This capability is valuable for distinguishing between active satellites, defunct spacecraft, and space debris,” he explained.
Additionally, Wyche mentioned that the debris-avoidance system is complemented by GuardianSat’s “anti-satellite countermeasure system,” currently in development. This system employs microwave and lidar (light detection and ranging) technologies to detect and track approaching objects in space, further enhancing their satellite protection capabilities.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Echo Gazette journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
