SPACE RACCOON
Proposal
14 month mission timeline
The initiative aims to build and launch a satellite to detect, classify, and assess the risk of collisions with space debris in Low Earth Orbit using onboard computer vision and machine learning within a compact 2U satellite. As part of this effort, SPACE RACCOON will provide open-source, high-fidelity data on debris location and size to support safer orbital operations and future mission planning.
THE PAYLOAD
- GoPro camera and any necessary boards
- Input: Power, "take photo" command
- Output: Photo
- Be able to have a script running that requests images during certain times in the orbit
- We have scheduled times during orbit when we know we want to take photos (when are the ideal times and locations to capture images of space debris) and then during those times, we take a photo every 30 seconds and store it
- How many photos can we take – how much memory?
- Can we take photos and run algorithms at the same time?
Notes on the payload:
- Send pictures to memory or flight computer, run image processing program
- Downlink photos identified as containing space debris
PROJECT TIMELINE
2-3 years, specifics on Gantt Chart
