I’m not entirely sure of the exact legalities but I have some experience working cube-sats and have some insights on this.
Since Low Earth Orbit is getting kinda crowded you now have to ensure that your satellite deorbits within 5 years of deployment. So that 5 year figure does limit the satellites lifespan. Quite significantly sometimes because you have to ensure that even if the satellite is dead on arrival it deorbits within those five years.
I bet all of these restrictions can be alleviated to some extent if you’re a super rich dickhead but that’s how it is for us.
I know that the Starlink birds deploy at a relatively low altitude, then climb to service height under their own power, so they deorbit quite fast if they’re DOA.
My impression was the five year figure is without the satellite boosting it’s orbit, but I could be wrong.
That five year figure is the time it takes to deorbit if the satellite goes dead, not the lifespan, from my understanding.
I’m not entirely sure of the exact legalities but I have some experience working cube-sats and have some insights on this. Since Low Earth Orbit is getting kinda crowded you now have to ensure that your satellite deorbits within 5 years of deployment. So that 5 year figure does limit the satellites lifespan. Quite significantly sometimes because you have to ensure that even if the satellite is dead on arrival it deorbits within those five years.
I bet all of these restrictions can be alleviated to some extent if you’re a super rich dickhead but that’s how it is for us.
I know that the Starlink birds deploy at a relatively low altitude, then climb to service height under their own power, so they deorbit quite fast if they’re DOA.
My impression was the five year figure is without the satellite boosting it’s orbit, but I could be wrong.
Do yours have their own engine?