Cerise-debris collision

Allen Thomson (thomsona@netcom.com)
Sun, 18 Aug 1996 07:06:03 -0700

PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT
15 August 1996
Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


SPACE DEBRIS COLLIDES WITH CERISE MICROSATELLITE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT AT
31,000 MILES PER HOUR?

The first ever suspected collision between two catalogued space objects
has been detected in low Earth orbit. After one year of perfect
operation in space, controllers at the Mission Control Centre,
Guildford, Surrey, observed a sudden change to the attitude of the
CERISE microsatellite as it tumbled rapidly end-over-end in its 700km
polar Earth orbit. After initial investigations, a collision with a
piece of space debris was suspected. 

Subsequent observations and analysis by the UK Space Track Network and
NASA now seem to confirm the collision in orbit between CERISE and
a piece of debris on Wednesday 24th July. The debris appears to have
impacted the stabilisation boom, which extends 6 metres from the main
body of the spacecraft, at over 31,000 miles per hour. The French MoD
has set up an Enquiry Board, chaired by CNES, which will report its
findings formally in September. 

Despite the suspected impact, the CERISE microsatellite and its payloads
continue to work normally under full ground control. SSTL mission
control engineers will now re-programme the microsatellite's advanced
on-board computer with new attitude control software which will
re-orient the CERISE, relying solely on the on-board electromagnets,
allowing it to continue its mission. 

SSTL manufactured the CERISE microsatellite platform for Alcatel Espace
(France) and the French MoD to carry out broadband radiometric
measurements. Cerise was launched by Ariane in July 1995. 

Professor Martin Sweeting (SSTL's CEO) said "luckily the sophistication
of the microsatellite systems should allow us to recover the mission
despite the major loss of a limb!"

[snip]

For further information contact: 

	Prof Martin Sweeting OBE, Managing Director & CEO
(M.Sweeting@ee.surrey.ac.uk), 
	Dr Jeff Ward, Technical Director ( J.W.Ward@ee.surrey.ac.uk), 
     	Ed Milton, General Manager ( E.Milton@ee.surrey.ac.uk), 



Surrey Satellite Technology Limited 
Centre for Satellite Engineering Research 
University of Surrey 
Guildford, Surrey, GU2 5XH, U.K. 
Tel: +44 1483 259278 
Fax: +44 1483 259503 
E.Mail: M.Sweeting@ee.surrey.ac.uk 
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/EE/CSER/UOSAT