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。     

天基激光移除空间碎片仿真平台研究与开发

为了从空间碎片和天基移除系统两方面分析激光驱动碎片变轨过程,优化移除任务规划和策略,基于真实的可观测空间碎片数据,设计并开发了一套天基激光移除空间碎片三维数值仿真平台。首先从总体设计出发,对三维数值仿真平台的需求分析、总体框架、模块功能进行了明确的描述。其次通过对激光驱动空间碎片变轨过程数学模型的分析,确定了各模块的具体实现方法。最后采用C++/Qt开发了三维数值仿真平台,通过仿真验证了设计平台的有效性。该仿真平台可用于不同天基平台和目标碎片的任务规划、碎片分布热点区域和航天器防护区域的方案设计及空间环境治理体系的优化设计。     

空间碎片天基主动清除技术相关法律、政治及经济问题分析

近年来，人们越来越认识到空间碎片问题的严重性，特别是在低地球轨道，不能对其置之不理或者仅采取简单的减缓手段。对空间环境演化预测的研究表明，目前的减缓措施并不能够充分保证人类在空间的安全出入以及对近地轨道环境的长期使用。如果希望可持续地开展空间活动，就需要考虑空间碎片天基主动清除技术（ADR）。该技术目前尚未实施。其中不仅有技术可行性的原因，还涉及法律、政治及经济等问题。另外，在当前有限的资金形势下，空间碎片天基主动清除技术的成本问题也无法忽视。     

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。     

天基微小空间碎片探测研究

随着空间碎片数量的不断增多，天基微小空间碎片探测已经成为一个热点．首先介绍了空间碎片在低地球轨道上的分布情况以及它对于航天器的危害，然后介绍了国外微小碎片探测器的基本情况，并在这些探测结果的基础上提出了一个探测器方案．这种探测器的传感器采用了新型的压电材料聚偏二氟乙稀(PVDF)，使用了飞行时间法(TOF)准确测定空间碎片的飞行速度，以及快脉冲分析系统分析碎片的质量．     

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.      

国外天基太阳能电站发展分析

天基太阳能电站系统由空间段和地面段组成。空间段在太空将太阳能转换为电能,再将电能转换为微波或激光,然后以无线方式传输到地面;地面段将接收到的微波或激光转换为电能,供人类使用。作为环保、可持续能源的供应系统,天基太阳能电站作为"航天嫁接新能源的新视野",得到了越来越多的关注。美国、日本和欧洲一直在积极推动天基太阳能电站的研究,中国也已加入这一行列。本期特刊载"天基太阳能电站专题",旨在深入探讨天基太阳能电站的发展。     

Active detumbling technology for noncooperative space target with energy dissipation

Space debris is generally a kind of tumbling noncooperative space target which poses a serious threat to human space activities. In active debris removal (ADR) missions, capturing a space target directly may cause damage to space manipulator and chaser satellite, so it is a feasible strategy to reduce the angular velocity of space target to an acceptable range in the pre-capture phase. In this paper, an active detumbling technology for a free-floating tumbling space target with energy dissipation is studied, and an effective detumbling method utilizing intermittent contact impact between the space target and despin mechanism is proposed. First, the dynamic model of the space target is set up by the Jourdain’s velocity variation principle. Then, a contact model between the space target and despin mechanism is established based on the Hertz contact theory and the method of computer graphics. Finally, the detumbling method is validated by numerical simulations. Simulation results show that our method can reduce the angular velocity of the space target effectively without causing large nutation.     

First laser measurements to space debris in Poland

The Borowiec Satellite Laser Ranging station (BORL 7811, Borowiec) being a part of the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences (SRC PAS) went through modernization in 2014–2015. One of the main tasks of the modernization was the installation of a high-energy laser module dedicated to space debris tracking. Surelite III by Continuum is a Nd:YAG pulse laser with 10?Hz repetition rate, a pulse width of 3–5?ns and a pulse energy of 450?mJ for green (532?nm). This new laser unit was integrated with the SLR system at Borowiec performing standard satellite tracking. In 2016 BORL 7811 participated actively to the observational campaigns related to the space debris targets from LEO region managed by the Space Debris Study Group (SDSG) of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS).Currently, Borowiec station regularly tracks 36 space debris from the LEO regime, including typical rocket bodies (Russian/Chinese) and cooperative targets like the inactive TOPEX/Poseidon, ENVISAT, OICETS and others. In this paper the first results of space debris laser measurements obtained by the Borowiec station in period August 2016 – January 2017 are presented. The results gained by the SRC PAS Borowiec station confirm the rotation of the defunct TOPEX/Poseidon satellite which spins with a period of approximately 10?s. The novelty of this work is the presentation of the sample results of the Chinese CZ-2C R/B target (NORAD catalogue number 31114) which is equipped (probably) with retroreflectors. Laser measurements to space debris is a very desirable topic for the next years, especially in the context of the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) activity. Some targets are very easy to track like defunct ENVISAT or TOPEX/Poseidon. On the other hand, there is a big population of different LEO targets with different orbital and physical parameters, which are challenging for laser ranging like small irregular debris and rocket boosters.     

Laser measurements to space debris from Graz SLR station

In order to test laser ranging possibilities to space debris objects, the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) Station Graz installed a frequency doubled Nd:YAG pulse laser with a 1 kHz repetition rate, a pulse width of 10 ns, and a pulse energy of 25 mJ at 532 nm (on loan from German Aerospace Center Stuttgart – DLR). We developed and built low-noise single-photon detection units to enable laser ranging to targets with inaccurate orbit predictions, and adapted our standard SLR software to include a few hundred space debris targets. With this configuration, we successfully tracked – within 13 early-evening sessions of each about 1.5 h – 85 passes of 43 different space debris targets, in distances between 600 km and up to more than 2500 km, with radar cross sections from >15 m² down to <0.3 m², and measured their distances with an average precision of about 0.7 m RMS.     

航天器与空间碎片的混合编队重构控制与应用

针对空间碎片清理问题,提出了一种利用航天器与空间碎片混合编队队形重构控制技术捕获碎片的方法。首先,分析了地/月—日系L2拉格朗日平动点附近的限制性三体环境,并建立了编队卫星相对运动动力学模型;其次,提出了以太阳光压力作为航天器与空间碎片编队队形重构的控制力,实现各从星接近空间碎片的目的;最后,设计了基于线性二次型的最优控制器,并在Matlab/Simulink环境下进行仿真实验。仿真结果表明该方法可控制从星到达期望的位置(空间碎片的位置),且太阳帆板的姿态变化在可控范围内,进而证明了该方案可以应用于复杂空间环境下的碎片清理任务。     

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.     

Fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approach to prioritization of space debris for removal

As private companies and government space agencies begin to seriously consider the task of active space debris removal, it is becoming increasingly more important to determine the highest priority objects to deorbit. This work sets forth an approach for prioritization of space debris through the utilization of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methodologies and fuzzy logic, as well as both quantitative and qualitative criteria. The proposed debris prioritization approach considers various criteria including the orbit, size, mass, pairwise and total collision probabilities, and decay timeframe of each debris object. The means of assigning attributes to each assessment criterion is discussed in detail. To determine the weighting scheme for the criteria, a questionnaire was prepared and shared with experts in the field of space situational awareness. The work examines over two thousand critical debris objects selected from the existing debris catalog with respect to these criteria. The quantified attributes for each debris object are then aggregated through the fuzzy versions of the Analytic Hierarchy Process and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution. The results of the analysis identify high-priority debris objects for removal from Earth-bound orbits.     

Orbital debris–debris collision avoidance

We focus on preventing collisions between debris and debris, for which there is no current, effective mitigation strategy. We investigate the feasibility of using a medium-powered (5 kW) ground-based laser combined with a ground-based telescope to prevent collisions between debris objects in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The scheme utilizes photon pressure alone as a means to perturb the orbit of a debris object. Applied over multiple engagements, this alters the debris orbit sufficiently to reduce the risk of an upcoming conjunction. We employ standard assumptions for atmospheric conditions and the resulting beam propagation. Using case studies designed to represent the properties (e.g. area and mass) of the current debris population, we show that one could significantly reduce the risk of nearly half of all catastrophic collisions involving debris using only one such laser/telescope facility. We speculate on whether this could mitigate the debris fragmentation rate such that it falls below the natural debris re-entry rate due to atmospheric drag, and thus whether continuous long-term operation could entirely mitigate the Kessler syndrome in LEO, without need for relatively expensive active debris removal.     

空间碎片能量转化利用技术

针对目前空间碎片问题，提出空间碎片发动机概念，立足于使用捕获到的空间碎片，转化为发动机可用的推进剂。在完成碎片清理目标的同时，获得可持续的动力来源，延长清理器的工作寿命。针对空间碎片制粉的方法进行研究，提出使用球磨仪对金属样本进行研磨。使用转刀式粉碎机对非金属材料进行粉碎。通过实验发现，多数粉末粒径达到微米量级。针对空间碎片粉末推进方式进行研究，提出使用静电加速推进方式对粉末进行加速。空间碎片发动机虽然起源于空间碎片清理任务，但是可持续的推进剂供应，也将为小行星探测等任务提供更好的思路。