Sentinel-1A satellite hit by space particle
European Space Agency (ESA) engineers have discovered that a solar panel on the Copernicus Sentinel-1A satellite was hit by a millimetre-sized particle in orbit on 23 August.
On-board cameras allowed ground controllers to identify the affected area. So far, there has been no effect on the satellite’s routine operations.
Following a preliminary investigation, the operations team at ESA’s control centre in Darmstadt, Germany, suspected a possible impact by space debris or micrometeoroid on the solar wing.
A small power reduction was observed in a solar array of Sentinel-1A, at 17:07 (GMT) on 23 August. Slight changes in the orientation and the orbit of the satellite were also measured.
Detailed analysis of the satellite’s status was performed to understand the cause of this power loss.
The engineers decided to activate the on-board cameras to acquire pictures of the array. These cameras were originally carried to monitor the deployment of the solar wings.
Following their switch on, one camera provided a picture that shows the strike on the solar panel.
Holger Krag, Head of the Space Debris Office at ESA’s establishment in Darmstadt, Germany, said: “Such hits, caused by particles of millimetre size, are not unexpected.
“These very small objects are not trackable from the ground, because only objects greater than about five centimetres can usually be tracked and, thus, avoided by manoeuvring the satellites.”
The Sentinel-1 satellites, part of the European Union’s Copernicus Programme, which is funded by Horizon 2020 and operated by ESA on behalf of the European Commission.
