Title:
HC Reaction Wheel Assembly Design for Demisability
Agreement Number:
26STDPAA15
Agreement Value:
$999,999.00
Agreement Date:
Aug 31, 2026 - Aug 31, 2028
Description:
With the proliferation of large low earth orbit satellite constellations, there is a trend towards increasing regulation to manage the risk of casualties as satellites de-orbit. Both NASA and ESA have standards in place to cap the risk of human casualty to 1 in 10,000. This requires operators to demonstrate that satellites break up and demise into small fragments where no object hitting earth would have kinetic energy greater than 15 Joules. This equates to a 1.7” ball of hail, as stated in a 2025 SpaceX publicly available report on Starlink Satellite Demisability. Unfortunately, Honeywell’s 25 Nm-s HC11 reaction wheel assembly (RWA) design is not compliant to these requirements since traditionally RWAs have been optimized for volume-efficient momentum storage, using dense materials such as stainless steel for the large, dynamically stable, single-piece rotor masses. The challenge is to re-optimize this design for demisability to comply with these requirements. Re-optimization of the design will involve the study of how the RWA demises, and implement changes to the rotor operating speed, mass, materials, geometry, assembly structure and manufacturing process. The intent is to increase the spin rate from 3600 rpm to 6000 rpm to reduce the total rotor mass and employ materials with lower melting points and modify the assembly such that the RWA breaks up into smaller pieces at higher altitudes to achieve the 15-joule requirement.
Organization:
Canadian Space Agency
Expected Results:
The Research component of the program provides financial support to organizations to conduct space related research and development in priority areas. It will support targeted knowledge development and innovation to sustain and enhance the Canadian capacity to use space to address national needs and priorities in the future.
Location:
Mississauga, Ontario, CA L5L 3S6
Reference Number:
003-2026-2027-Q2-00027
Agreement Type:
Contribution
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Type:
For-profit organization
Amendment Date
0001-01-01T00:00:00
Recipient's Operating Name:
Honeywell Limited
Recipient's Legal Name:
Honeywell Limited
Program:
Class Grant and Contribution Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology
Program Purpose:
This program supports knowledge development and innovation in the CSA's priority areas while increasing the awareness and participation of Canadians in space-related disciplines and activities.
The Research Component aims to support the development of science and technology; foster the continual development of a critical mass of researchers and highly qualified people in Canada; and support information gathering and space-related studies and research pertaining to Canadian Space Agency priorities.