Finite element reconstruction approach for on-orbit spacecraft breakup dynamics simulation and fragment analysis

Breakup model is the key area of space debris environment modeling. NASA standard breakup model is currently the most widely used for general-purpose. It is a statistical model found based on space surveillance data and a few ground-based test data. NASA model takes the mass, impact velocity magnitude for input and provides the fragment size, area-to-mass ratio, velocity magnitude distributions for output. A more precise approach for spacecraft disintegration fragment analysis is presented in this paper. This approach is based on hypervelocity impact dynamics and takes the shape, material, internal structure and impact location etc. of spacecraft and impactor, which might greatly affect the fragment distribution, into consideration. The approach is a combination of finite element and particle methods, entitled finite element reconstruction (FER). By reconstructing elements from the particle debris cloud, reliable individual fragments are identified. Fragment distribution is generated with undirected graph conversion and connected component analysis. Ground-based test from literature is introduced for verification. In the simulation satellite targets and impactors are modeled in detail including the shape, material, internal structure and so on. FER output includes the total number of fragments and the mass, size and velocity vector of each fragment. The reported fragment distribution of FER shows good agreement with the test, and has good accuracy for small fragments.     

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.     

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%。     

机动卫星星座对多区域目标成像任务规划

针对太阳同步圆轨道卫星星座对地观测任务,研究了在卫星机动情况下对多区域目标的成像任务规划算法。首先提出了单颗卫星对单个点目标的观测方法,解析分析了点目标可见性,并给出了卫星变轨策略;进而通过把区域目标划分为多个条带,将问题转化为卫星对点目标观测问题,结合单星单目标观测方法分析区域目标各条带的可见性;最后建立优化问题模型,给出条带观测策略,并利用遗传算法优化星座对多区域目标的观测总面积。仿真结果表明该算法准确性高,能够有效提高星座的观测能力和观测总面积。     

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。     

航天器热平衡试验中的热流测量技术

文章介绍了在航天器热平衡试验中到达航天器表面或被其吸收的红外辐射热流密度的测量技术。