10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
[PCG20-06] Application of ALE's shooting star satellite technology to space exploration missions
Keywords:Apophis, Asteroid, Impact experiment, Planetary defense
ALE Co., Ltd. is a space startup with the mission of “Make space closer. For all of us. Together.” The company has developed and launched two satellites for its artificial shooting star service, a project that creates artificial shooting stars by precisely releasing small metal spheres from a satellite at high velocities, causing them to burn upon atmospheric entry. While this system provides unique entertainment and educational opportunities, it also represents a highly refined mass ejection technology that can be applied to broader space exploration and scientific research.
ALE’s mass ejection system is designed to precisely control the release of small objects in space, allowing for adjustable launch velocities exceeding 100 m/s with a pointing accuracy of within ±1 degree. The system supports controlled projectile deployment with customizable speed and direction, as well as multiple and continuous releases, making it suitable for various space missions. Potential applications include small-scale impact experiments for planetary science, deployment of landing markers for spacecraft, and release of sensor payloads from celestial orbits. By adapting this technology, ALE is planning a low-energy multi-impact experiment on Apophis, an asteroid that will closely approach Earth in 2029.
In this experiment, multiple projectiles will be launched towards Apophis to create small craters on its surface. Each projectile will have an impact energy approximately one-quarter to one-half that of Hayabusa2’s Small Carry-on Impactor (SCI), making this one of the lowest-energy controlled impact studies conducted in space. This experiment aims to provide critical data on regolith cohesion and surface material strength, which will help improve our understanding of asteroid surface mechanics. Additionally, it will allow for detailed observations of ejecta dynamics and material redistribution in microgravity, contributing to impact physics studies. By comparing these results with existing impact models, the experiment will also help validate scaling laws for planetary defense and asteroid evolution modeling.
This presentation will explain details of ALE's mass drive technology, along with its applications in space exploration and the objectives of the Apophis impact experiment.
ALE’s mass ejection system is designed to precisely control the release of small objects in space, allowing for adjustable launch velocities exceeding 100 m/s with a pointing accuracy of within ±1 degree. The system supports controlled projectile deployment with customizable speed and direction, as well as multiple and continuous releases, making it suitable for various space missions. Potential applications include small-scale impact experiments for planetary science, deployment of landing markers for spacecraft, and release of sensor payloads from celestial orbits. By adapting this technology, ALE is planning a low-energy multi-impact experiment on Apophis, an asteroid that will closely approach Earth in 2029.
In this experiment, multiple projectiles will be launched towards Apophis to create small craters on its surface. Each projectile will have an impact energy approximately one-quarter to one-half that of Hayabusa2’s Small Carry-on Impactor (SCI), making this one of the lowest-energy controlled impact studies conducted in space. This experiment aims to provide critical data on regolith cohesion and surface material strength, which will help improve our understanding of asteroid surface mechanics. Additionally, it will allow for detailed observations of ejecta dynamics and material redistribution in microgravity, contributing to impact physics studies. By comparing these results with existing impact models, the experiment will also help validate scaling laws for planetary defense and asteroid evolution modeling.
This presentation will explain details of ALE's mass drive technology, along with its applications in space exploration and the objectives of the Apophis impact experiment.