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[i]For the first time ever, ESA has performed a "collision avoidance manoeuvre" to protect one of its satellites from colliding with a "mega constellation." This morning, ESA's Aeolus Earth observation satellite fired its thrusters, moving it off a collision course with a SpaceX satellite in their Starlink constellation. Experts in our space debris team calculated the risk of collision between these two active satellites, determining the safest option for Aeolus would be to increase its altitude and pass over the SpaceX satellite. The manoeuvre took place about half an orbit before the potential collision. Not long after the collision was expected, Aeolus called home as usual to send back its science data – proving the manoeuvre was successful and a collision was indeed avoided. It is very rare to perform collision avoidance manoeuvres with active satellites. The vast majority of ESA avoidance manoeuvres are the result of dead satellites or fragments from previous collisions. In 2018, ESA performed 28 collision avoidance manoeuvres across its fleet. These avoidance manoeuvres take a lot of time to prepare - from determining the future orbital positions of all functioning spacecraft, to calculating the risk of collision and potential outcomes of different actions. As the number of satellites in orbit increases, due to "mega constellations" such as Starlink comprising hundreds or even thousands of satellites, today's "manual" collision avoidance process will become impossible. ESA is preparing to automate this process using AI (Artificial Intelligence). From the initial assessment of a potential collision to a satellite moving out of the way, automated systems are becoming necessary to protect our space infrastructure.[/i]
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