Feasibility of performing space surveillance tasks with a proposed space-based optical architecture

Under ESA contract an industrial consortium including Aboa Space Research Oy (ASRO), the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB), and the Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR), proposed the observation concept, developed a suitable sensor architecture, and assessed the performance of a space-based optical (SBO) telescope in 2005. The goal of the SBO study was to analyse how the existing knowledge gap in the space debris population in the millimetre and centimetre regime may be closed by means of a passive optical instrument. The SBO instrument was requested to provide statistical information on the space debris population in terms of number of objects and size distribution. The SBO instrument was considered to be a cost-efficient with 20 cm aperture and 6° field-of-view and having flexible integration requirements. It should be possible to integrate the SBO instrument easily as a secondary payload on satellites launched into low-Earth orbits (LEO), or into geostationary orbit (GEO). Thus the selected mission concept only allowed for fix-mounted telescopes, and the pointing direction could be requested freely. Since 2007 ESA focuses space surveillance and tracking activities in the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) preparatory program. Ground-based radars and optical telescopes are studied for the build-up and maintenance of a catalogue of objects. In this paper we analyse how the proposed SBO architecture could contribute to the space surveillance tasks survey and tracking. We assume that the SBO instrumentation is placed into a circular sun-synchronous orbit at 800 km altitude. We discuss the observation conditions of objects at higher altitude, and select an orbit close to the terminator plane. A pointing of the sensor orthogonal to the orbital plane with optimal elevation slightly in positive direction (0° and +5°) is found optimal for accessing the entire GEO regime within one day, implying a very good coverage of controlled objects in GEO, too. Simulations using ESA’s Program for Radar and Optical Observation Forecasting (PROOF) in the version 2005 and a GEO reference population extracted from DISCOS revealed that the proposed pointing scenario provides low phase angles together with low angular velocities of the objects crossing the field-of-view. Radiometric simulations show that the optimal exposure time is 1–2 s, and that spherical objects in GEO with a diameter of below 1 m can be detected. The GEO population can be covered under proper illumination nearly completely, but seasonal drops of the coverage are possible. Subsequent observations of objects are on average at least every 1.5 days, not exceeding 3 days at maximum. A single observation arc spans 3° to 5° on average. Using a simulation environment that connects PROOF to AIUB’s program system CelMech we verify the consistency of the initial orbit determination for five selected test objects on subsequent days as a function of realistic astrometric noise levels. The initial orbit determination is possible. We define requirements for a correlator process essential for catalogue build-up and maintenance. Each single observation should provide an astrometric accuracy of at least 1”–1.5” so that the initially determined orbits are consistent within a few hundred kilometres for the semi-major axis, 0.01 for the eccentricity, and 0.1° for the inclination.     

On the effect of considering more realistic particle shape and mass parameters in MMOD risk assessments

One of the primary mission risks tracked in the development of all spacecraft is that due to micro-meteoroids and orbital debris (MMOD). Both types of particles, especially those larger than 0.1 mm in diameter, contain sufficient kinetic energy due to their combined mass and velocities to cause serious damage to crew members and spacecraft. The process used to assess MMOD risk consists of three elements: environment, damage prediction, and damage tolerance. Orbital debris risk assessments for the Orion vehicle, as well as the Shuttle, Space Station and other satellites use ballistic limit equations (BLEs) that have been developed using high speed impact test data and results from numerical simulations that have used spherical projectiles. However, spheres are not expected to be a common shape for orbital debris; rather, orbital debris fragments might be better represented by other regular or irregular solids. In this paper we examine the general construction of NASA’s current orbital debris (OD) model, explore the potential variations in orbital debris mass and shape that are possible when using particle characteristic length to define particle size (instead of assuming spherical particles), and, considering specifically the Orion vehicle, perform an orbital debris risk sensitivity study taking into account variations in particle mass and shape as noted above. While the results of the work performed for this study are preliminary, they do show that continuing to use aluminum spheres in spacecraft risk assessments could result in an over-design of its MMOD protection systems. In such a case, the spacecraft could be heavier than needed, could cost more than needed, and could cost more to put into orbit than needed. The results obtained in this study also show the need to incorporate effects of mass and shape in mission risk assessment prior to first flight of any spacecraft as well as the need to continue to develop/refine BLEs so that they more accurately reflect the shape and material density variations inherent to the actual debris environment.     

空间烟云的扩散模型

探讨空间烟云用于外层空间目标红外遮蔽隐身干扰,通过分析烟幕扩散体系的真空及微重力效应,基于扩散定律建立了空间烟云的纯扩散模型.研究结果表明,空间烟云施放后其质量浓度在任意时刻的等值面均为一球面,并且随着球半径的增加在空间连续减少;同时结合辐射在烟云中的传输特性研究,获得了空间烟云有效遮蔽面积及遮蔽时间的估算方法.     

基于卫星云图的大区域云层预测方法

云层覆盖是影响对地观测卫星成像的一个重要问题,如果遥感图像中云层比例太高,或者特定目标不可见,则遥感图像就会失效。对地观测卫星能够根据云层预测信息,在多个观测目标之间进行选择。面向对地观测卫星任务规划的应用,设计了大区域范围的短期云层预测方法,首先通过光流法获取云运动矢量,然后依据云运动矢量外推获得预测的云层图像,同时引入拉普拉斯算子刻画云层运动过程中的扩散现象,利用风云二号卫星的真实云图序列数据,通过神经网络的反向传播算法优化扩散因子,以提升云层预测的效果。通过对结果进行分析,引入的拉普拉斯算子方法能够提高云层预测的精度,80%分位数的云层覆盖率误差约为11.7%,该精度的云层预测可以用于指导对地观测卫星任务规划。     

基于星载可见光相机的空间碎片探测

空间碎片在轨识别与参数辨识为空间轨道预警、航天器规避空间碎片提供了重要依据。文章在轨道相对动力学的基础上,模拟了空间碎片在光学探测过程中的拖尾成像特性;随后,采用 Hough变换对空间碎片尾迹特征.r进行提取与识别,获取碎片方位角信息,通过匹配多帧图像,获取碎片的方位角速度信息。同时,结合激光测距仪的测距信息,获取空间碎片的位置和速度信息;通过数值仿真验证,该方法能够实现对空间碎片探测、识别和定位,因而具有一定的工程应用价值。     

基于HOG和SVM算法的磨粒图像在线监测技术

为了解决发动机润滑油液磨粒图像监测只适用于微流且易受气泡干扰等问题,设计了一种可适用于相对大流量工作环境的油液磨粒光学图像在线监测系统,区分气泡和磨粒。通过该监测系统,批量采集了一系列磨损颗粒和气泡图片,用于后续图像分类算法的训练与测试。采用了一种基于背景差分和大津法的运动物体提取算法提取出大量磨粒及气泡图像样本,运用基于方向梯度直方图（Histogram of oriented gradients, HOG）进行特征提取和支持向量机（Support vector machine, SVM）分类算法对气泡和磨粒进行识别。实验结果表明,该监测系统能有效采集磨粒及气泡图像并进行自动识别。与基于形态学特征提取算法以及K最近邻（K-nearest neighbor, KNN）等传统分类算法相比,HOG-SVM算法分类精度更高,识别准确率可达83.8%。     

电动力缆绳离轨系统中绳索建模研究

 空间碎片对在轨运行航天器的安全构成重大威胁,使废弃卫星脱离原轨道进入大气层烧毁是减少空间碎片的有效途径。利用导电缆绳与地磁场相互作用产生的洛仑兹力使卫星特别是低地球轨道卫星的轨道高度快速衰减是一种很有应用前景的离轨方式。在研究电动力缆绳离轨的刚性杆模型基础上,建立了更符合电动力缆绳特性的柔索模型,并对刚性杆模型和柔索模型进行仿真。结果表明柔索模型能更精确地体现电动力缆绳的性质。     

CAST空间碎片超高速撞击试验研究进展

超高速撞击试验是开展载人航天器及大型应用卫星空间碎片超高速撞击风险评估和防护设计的基础,作为我国航天器环境效应和可靠性工程验证部门的北京卫星环境工程研究所在这个领域做了大量的工作。文章介绍了二级轻气炮超高速撞击地面模拟试验技术、典型防护结构防护性能的超高速撞击试验验证、载人航天器外露材料超高速撞击特性、毫米级弹丸7 km/s以上超高速稳定发射技术探索、高性能防护结构研究等方面的若干近期进展。展望了我国空间碎片防护需求和地面超高速撞击试验研究的发展方向。     

激光驱动飞片速度的理论分析

激光驱动飞片技术是模拟微流星体/空间碎片对航天器外露材料/部件超高速撞击,用于开展撞击累积损伤效应与材料性能退化的研究,也是进行航天器在轨寿命预估和空间碎片防护研究的重要技术手段。飞片速度是衡量激光驱动飞片技术水平的关键性参数之一。文章从Lawrence改进的Gurney模型出发,着重分析了激光输出能量、脉宽、聚焦光斑大小以及飞片靶厚度等参数与飞片速度大小的关系,提出激光驱动飞片技术中提高飞片速度的主要途径:其他条件一定时,薄靶较厚靶更易获取高速飞片;小光斑较大光斑更易获取高速飞片;长脉宽高能激光器或短脉宽低能激光器比较适合获取高速飞片。以上结论对从试验上获取高速飞片具有重要指导意义。     

Instability of the present LEO satellite populations

Several studies conducted during 1991–2001 demonstrated, with some assumed launch rates, the future unintended growth potential of the Earth satellite population, resulting from random, accidental collisions among resident space objects. In some low Earth orbit (LEO) altitude regimes where the number density of satellites is above a critical spatial density, the production rate of new breakup debris due to collisions would exceed the loss of objects due to orbital decay.