L׳ADROIT – A spaceborne ultraviolet laser system for space debris clearing

Small (1–10 cm) debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) are extremely dangerous, because they spread the breakup cascade. Pulsed laser active debris removal using laser ablation jets on target is the most cost-effective way to re-enter the small debris. No other solutions address the whole problem of large (~100 cm, 1 t) as well as small debris. Physical removal of small debris (by nets, tethers and so on) is uneconomical because of the energy cost of matching orbits. In this paper, we present a completely new proposal relative to our earlier work. This new approach uses rapid, head-on interaction in 10–40 s rather than 4 minutes, using 20–40 kW bursts of 100 ps, 355 nm UV pulses from a 1.5 m diameter aperture on a space-based station in LEO. The station employs “heat-capacity” laser mode with low duty cycle to create an adaptable, robust, dual-mode system which can lower or raise large derelict objects into less dangerous orbits, as well as clear out the small debris in a 400-km thick LEO band. Time-average laser optical power is less than 15 kW. The combination of short pulses and UV wavelength gives lower required fluence on target as well as higher momentum coupling coefficient. An orbiting system can have short range because of high interaction rate deriving from its velocity through the debris field. This leads to much smaller mirrors and lower average power than the ground-based systems we have considered previously. Our system also permits strong defense of specific assets. Analysis gives an estimated cost less than $1 k each to re-enter most small debris in a few months, and about 280 k$ each to raise or lower 1-ton objects by 40 km. We believe it can do this for 2000 such large objects in about four years. Laser ablation is one of the few interactions in nature that propel a distant object without any significant reaction on the source.     

Modelling ionospheric vertical drifts over Africa low latitudes using Empirical Orthogonal functions and comparison with climatological model

For the first time, empirical model of daytime vertical $\mathbf{E}\times \mathbf{B}$ drift based on Empirical Orthogonal functions (EOF) decomposition technique is presented. Day-to-day variability of $\mathbf{E}\times \mathbf{B}$ drift inferred from horizontal (H) geomagnetic field data around dip latitude for the period of 2008–2013 is used to both develop and validate the model. Results show that the EOF technique is promising with modelled values and data giving correlation coefficient values of at least 0.90 for geomagnetic conditions of both $K_p?3$ and $K_p>3$ within 2008–2013. Independent model validation shows that in situ $\mathbf{E}\times \mathbf{B}$ values from ion velocity meter (IVM) instrument on-board C/NOFS satellite are closer to model $\mathbf{E}\times \mathbf{B}$ estimates than the climatological Scherliess-Fejer (SF) model incorporated within the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI).     

European electronuclear OTV for the end of the 1990s

The concept of an Electronuclear Orbital Transfer Vehicle, associated with Ariane V, is currently studied at CNES and CEA. The objective is to increase European Space Transportation Competitivity after 2000 for high energy orbits. The system appears to be feasible and economically interesting; it offers impressive performance and a very large growth potential.     

A low cost multimission bus for small satellites applications

This article presents the AEROSPATIALE ESPACE & DEFENSE industrial approach for the CNES PROTEUS platform. Three major targets were assigned to the PROTEUS platform. A very wide field of missions (orbits, attitude, instruments and launch vehicle compatibility) will be implemented on PROTEUS platform at a very attractive cost and within a 24 months delivery time. A cost driven system methodology has been established to produce a recurring platform at a very attractive cost. Cost reductions choices were analysed and selected on organisation, engineering, procurement, quality and industrialisation.     

浮力驱动飞艇在三维空间中一种基于奇摄动理论的移动质量块控制方法

对浮力驱动飞艇在三维空间中的姿态和航向控制提出了一种解决方法.介绍了建立该飞艇八自由度数学模型的方法.基于最大反馈线性化方法推导了纵向平面和侧向平面的非线性反馈控制,证明了内部的动态稳定性.通过奇摄动理论叠加在两个平面的控制,推导出一种三维运动控制方法.基于该控制方法,对飞艇跟踪指定姿态,航向和速度进行了仿真.     

机器人技术在复合材料产业中发挥重要作用

相比于机器人技术在其他产业的广泛应用,复合材料产业因传统方法主导而产生的矛盾,正随着机器人在各种工序中的出现而逐渐消失.     

Global Commercial Space Markets

太空变得比以往任何时候都更容易进入。卫星制造和发射成本的下降打破了现有格局和状况,为新玩家进入市场打开了大门。高通量卫星和星座已进入市场,并将以更低价格带来更大的容量。但是,如何将容量优化分配仍然是一项重大挑战。对地观测和大数据也是令人关注的领域,得益于成百上千颗卫星项目,这些领域正在发展壮大,并将对制造和发射市场产生持久的影响。     

Contributions of the French Institut Géographique National (IGN) to the International DORIS Service

DORIS is one of the four geodetic space techniques participating to the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS). Since the early development of this system, the Institut Géographique National played a specific and active role. Within, the International DORIS Service (IDS), IGN is in a particular position. While it is responsible for the installation and the maintenance of the DORIS ground tracking stations, it also handles one of the two IDS data center delivering DORIS data and products and has been an IDS Analysis Center for years, providing all possible IDS products, in particular the latest ignwd08 time series in preparation of ITRF2008. This paper explains the different aspects of the IGN contribution to IDS from an historical point of view, presents current activities and scientific results and provides a perspective for future activities. Recent DORIS results show a 10 mm precision or better when more than four DORIS satellites are available. Comparisons between recent DORIS solutions (ign07d02 and ign09d02) and past ITRF realizations show that errors are shared between the DORIS and the ITRF realizations. Some problems related to DORIS data processing are also discussed and possible ways to solve them in the future are discussed. In particular, we can now reject the tropospheric origin of the problem detected in the Envisat data after the software upload of October 12, 2004. A few applications in geodesy (terrestrial reference frame, Earth’s polar motion) and geophysics are also discussed as a natural extension of these service-type activities.