天基空间碎片光学探测影响因素分析及仿真

光学手段在天基空间碎片探测中被广泛应用,但容易受到杂光等因素影响。结合在轨试验数据,从探测器和碎片两方面分析了影响天基空间碎片光学探测的因素。影响探测器探测效果的因素包括太阳光、月光、地气光、大气辉光等杂光及南大西洋异常区辐射等;影响碎片可见性的因素包括地球遮挡、地影及反射的太阳光等。分别给出了上述影响因素涉及的特征量及规避影响的计算方法。基于某天基探测设备的仿真结果表明,上述影响在自然交会及姿态机动模式下均可能发生,在试验设计时需被充分考虑。最后,针对某天基空间碎片探测任务进行了规划。文章对天基光学探测试验设计具有一定的指导意义。     

空间碎片天基监测图像仿真研究

空间碎片天基光学监测可以有效弥补地基监测的时空覆盖缺陷.目前天基观测数据不足甚至没有数据，这给监测系统研制、数据处理算法研究及软件系统研发和验证造成了一定困难.因此，研发能够为相关研究提供空间监测图像的空间碎片天基监测图像仿真软件系统具有重要意义.本文根据天基监测图像的特点，研究基本算法，设计仿真流程，给出仿真图像并对结果进行分析.为得到符合实际观测场景的高精度仿真图像，软件系统采用瞬时惯性坐标系；基于Tycho2星表提出了采用基于索引文件的快速星表查询方法来生成背景星图；利用两行根数（Two-Line Element，TLE）数据集仿真空间碎片观测值；并对结果图像中目标的运行轨迹进行分析，得出天基监测空间目标的成像特性.仿真结果表明，该仿真系统能够针对不同观测条件和观测平台，在兼顾精度与时效性的情况下，获得较为真实的空间碎片天基光学系列观测图像.      

多碎片移除过程中的路径优化

采用蚁群优化算法对多碎片移除过程中的路径优化问题进行研究，然后采用改进的最速下降法对移除每块碎片的时间进行合理优化，进一步降低总的速度增量需求.对比轨道高度、轨道倾角或者升交点赤经的顺序后发现，采用蚁群算法优化之后的顺序移除碎片可以大大节省轨道转移所需要的速度增量.选取中国空间活动产生的三组碎片进行优化计算，结果显示在相同的任务时间内，优化后的顺序可能不同于轨道高度、倾角和赤经的顺序，并且优化顺序可以节省更多的速度增量.另外，任务时间也会对碎片的最佳移除顺序产生影响.      

国外在轨服务系统最新发展(上)

正近年各国持续推进在轨服务系统的项目研究,主要涉及辅助变轨、碎片移除、在轨燃料加注与延寿、在轨装配和在轨维修与升级几个方面。其中,美国重点关注在轨装配、在轨燃料加注任务与相关技术,欧洲重点关注低地球轨道(LEO)碎片移除任务与相关技术,日本、德国等依托自身先进的机械臂技术开展在轨服务项目。从现有发展规划来看,目前在轨服务系统的发展还处于初级阶段,各系统将在2020年前后实现在轨演示试验。随着航天技术的不断发展,未来将会实现更多多功能业务型的在轨服务,航天资产也将向在轨可建造、在     

天基激光清除空间碎片方案设想

随着空间碎片数量的不断增长,对人类航天事业的发展构成巨大威胁,清除空间碎片已经迫在眉睫。使用激光清除太空垃圾是一种低成本、高效、安全的清除技术。本文介绍了空间碎片的现状和现有清除方法,针对地基清除空间碎片技术存在的局限性,提出了一种天基激光清除空间碎片方案设想。     

航天器空间交会过程综合变轨策略研究

文章研究了空间交会远程导引阶段综合变轨问题的变轨策略方法和实用理论模型。文章首先简要描述了综合变轨的技术条件和策略方法 ;然后重点建立了多脉冲综合变轨的轨道动力学模型 ,并给出了数值求解方法 ;最后用自行开发的仿真程序进行了远程导引多脉冲综合变轨的算例仿真。仿真结果表明 ,该模型和算法具有工程实用性     

月球探测器可视化仿真系统的开发

基于软件平台OpenGL和Visual C++,开发了基于轨道动力学规律的月球探测器在轨运行实时视景仿真系统,用以动态仿真探测器、地球、月球和太阳的时空关系,实时地计算和显示探测器空间位置的变化,并利用三维可视化技术完成逼真的三维图形图像信息的显示.讨论了仿真系统软件结构,主要模块的设计,开发过程中所遇到的主要问题及其解决方法.实际应用表明,该可视化仿真系统可帮助用户更加直观地了解探月飞行任务的进行情况.      

国外在轨服务系统最新发展(下)

正(上接本刊2017年第10期)近年各国持续推进在轨服务系统的项目研究,主要涉及辅助变轨、碎片移除、在轨燃料加注与延寿、在轨装配和在轨维修与升级几个方面。其中,美国重点关注在轨装配、在轨燃料加注任务与相关技术,欧洲重点关注低地球轨道(LEO)碎片移除任务与相关技术,日本、德国等依托自身先进的机械臂技术开展在轨服务项目。从现有发展规划来看,目前在轨服务系统的发展还处于初级阶段,各系统将在2020年前后实现在轨演示试验。随着航天技术的不断发展,未来将会实现更多多功能业务型的在轨服务,航天资产也将向在轨可建造、在     

Removing orbital debris with lasers

Orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) are now sufficiently dense that the use of LEO space is threatened by runaway collision cascading. A problem predicted more than thirty years ago, the threat from debris larger than about 1 cm demands serious attention. A promising proposed solution uses a high power pulsed laser system on the Earth to make plasma jets on the objects, slowing them slightly, and causing them to re-enter and burn up in the atmosphere. In this paper, we reassess this approach in light of recent advances in low-cost, light-weight modular design for large mirrors, calculations of laser-induced orbit changes and in design of repetitive, multi-kilojoules lasers, that build on inertial fusion research. These advances now suggest that laser orbital debris removal (LODR) is the most cost-effective way to mitigate the debris problem. No other solutions have been proposed that address the whole problem of large and small debris. A LODR system will have multiple uses beyond debris removal. International cooperation will be essential for building and operating such a system.     

Practical guidelines for electro-dynamic tethers to survive from orbital debris impacts

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has proposed an active debris removal using electro-dynamic tether to reduce large space debris in the low-Earth orbit. However, a tether strand is thin but long enough to have a large area so that it is vulnerable to small particles. This vulnerability might be the weakest point of a tether system against orbital debris. In order to overcome this weakest point, a double tether system, in which two tether strands are tied together at even intervals to form equally spaced loops, has been suggested as one of the promising candidates. This paper provides a mathematical approach to estimate the survival probability of a double tether system and then apply the approach to evaluate the mission success rate of the active debris removal using electro-dynamic tether that JAXA has proposed. It can be concluded the countermeasure to get enough success rate can be obtained. The result is simulated for Advanced Earth Observing Satellite II (ADEOS-II) re-entry from 800 km sun synchronized orbit to atmosphere. The simulation shows that mission success rate over 90% can be obtained with number of loops over 1000 and 10 mm clearance between two strands.     

Improved orbit predictions using two-line elements

The density of orbital space debris constitutes an increasing environmental challenge. There are two ways to alleviate the problem: debris mitigation and debris removal. This paper addresses collision avoidance, a key aspect of debris mitigation. We describe a method that contributes to achieving a requisite increase in orbit prediction accuracy for objects in the publicly available two-line element (TLE) catalog. Batch least-squares differential correction is applied to the TLEs. Using a high-precision numerical propagator, we fit an orbit to state vectors derived from successive TLEs. We then propagate the fitted orbit further forward in time. These predictions are validated against precision ephemeris data derived from the international laser ranging service (ILRS) for several satellites, including objects in the congested sun-synchronous orbital region. The method leads to a predicted range error that increases at a typical rate of 100 m per day, approximately a 10-fold improvement over individual TLE’s propagated with their associated analytic propagator (SGP4). Corresponding improvements for debris trajectories could potentially provide conjunction analysis sufficiently accurate for an operationally viable collision avoidance system based on TLEs only.     

A deorbiter CubeSat for active orbital debris removal

This paper introduces a mission concept for active removal of orbital debris based on the utilization of the CubeSat form factor. The CubeSat is deployed from a carrier spacecraft, known as a mothership, and is equipped with orbital and attitude control actuators to attach to the target debris, stabilize its attitude, and subsequently move the debris to a lower orbit where atmospheric drag is high enough for the bodies to burn up. The mass and orbit altitude of debris objects that are within the realms of the CubeSat’s propulsion capabilities are identified. The attitude control schemes for the detumbling and deorbiting phases of the mission are specified. The objective of the deorbiting maneuver is to decrease the semi-major axis of the debris orbit, at the fastest rate, from its initial value to a final value of about 6471?km (i.e., 100?km above Earth considering a circular orbit) via a continuous low-thrust orbital transfer. Two case studies are investigated to verify the performance of the deorbiter CubeSat during the detumbling and deorbiting phases of the mission. The baseline target debris used in the study are the decommissioned KOMPSAT-1 satellite and the Pegasus rocket body. The results show that the deorbiting times for the target debris are reduced significantly, from several decades to one or two years.     

Deorbiter CubeSat mission design

This paper presents the mission design for a CubeSat-based active debris removal approach intended for transferring sizable debris objects from low-Earth orbit to a deorbit altitude of 100 km. The mission consists of a mothership spacecraft that carries and deploys several debris-removing nanosatellites, called Deorbiter CubeSats. Each Deorbiter is designed based on the utilization of an eight-unit CubeSat form factor and commercially-available components with significant flight heritage. The mothership spacecraft delivers Deorbiter CubeSats to the vicinity of a predetermined target debris, through performing a long-range rendezvous maneuver. Through a formation flying maneuver, the mothership then performs in-situ measurements of debris shape and orbital state. Upon release from the mothership, each Deorbiter CubeSat proceeds to performing a rendezvous and attachment maneuver with a debris object. Once attached to the debris, the CubeSat performs a detumbling maneuver, by which the residual angular momentum of the CubeSat-debris system is dumped using Deorbiter’s onboard reaction wheels. After stabilizing the attitude motion of the combined Deorbiter-debris system, the CubeSat proceeds to performing a deorbiting maneuver, i.e., reducing system’s altitude so much so that the bodies disintegrate and burn up due to atmospheric drag, typically at around 100 km above the Earth surface. The attitude and orbital maneuvers that are planned for the mission are described, both for the mothership and Deorbiter CubeSat. The performance of each spacecraft during their operations is investigated, using the actual performance specifications of the onboard components. The viability of the proposed debris removal approach is discussed in light of the results.     

基于多项式近似的空间碎片群体轨道预报算法

快速准确地分析空间碎片群轨道演化行为对于其他在轨航天器碰撞规避至关重要。在各摄动力的作用下,空间碎片群演化运动呈现出复杂的非线性特征。空间碎片群体个体数量巨大,如果通过对空间碎片群中每个空间碎片进行轨道积分来分析群体预报的方法会导致计算量过大。针对该问题,提出一种基于多项式近似的轨道快速预报分析方法。该方法将空间碎片群分为少量的标称碎片和其他大量关联碎片。针对标称碎片的轨道预报采用数值积分求解保证预报精度;而针对其他大量的关联碎片轨道预报问题,采用多项式泰勒展开半解析方法求解,从而在保证预报精度的前提下有效减少空间碎片群轨道预报的计算量。为了验证方法的有效性,对不同空间碎片群进行了轨道预报仿真。仿真结果表明,当轨道预报精度设定在1m范围内时,多项式近似算法的计算量较蒙特卡洛方法计算效率提高了2.2~17.2倍,验证了所提出方法的有效性。     

The bistatic radar capabilities of the Medicina radiotelescopes in space debris detection and tracking

An accurate measurement of the position and trajectory of the space debris fragments is of primary importance for the characterization of the orbital debris environment. The Medicina Radioastronomical Station is a radio observation facility that is here proposed as receiving part of a ground-based space surveillance system for detecting and tracking space debris at different orbital regions (from Low Earth Orbits up to Geostationary Earth Orbits). The proposed system consists of two bistatic radars formed by the existing Medicina receiving antennas coupled with appropriate transmitters. This paper focuses on the current features and future technical development of the receiving part of the observational setup. Outlines of possible transmitting systems will also be given together with the evaluation of the observation strategies achievable with the proposed facilities.