Assessment of the close approach frequency and collision probability for satellites in different configurations of large constellations

The Earth orbital environment is drastically changing due to an intensification of the space activities. In particular, several projects of large constellations, proposed for the next years for communications purpose like global internet access, Internet of Things, or for Earth observations, will lead to the deployment of several thousands of new satellites at an unprecedented rate. It is a crucial challenge for space traffic management, which will deal with a great number of satellite conjunctions, potentially causing a collision with damaging consequences for the constellation itself and the space environment sustainability.In this paper, we investigate the close approach frequency and the cumulative collision probability for each referenced constellation. For this purpose, we compute the orbital evolution of satellites in different constellations during the lifecycle, from the deployment to the decommissioning, and we apply the CUBE algorithm and the Foster method to assess the collision probability with the background space debris population assuming a constant uncertainty in position. We show the variation of risk defined by the close approach frequency and the cumulative collision probability as a function of the proposed configuration. In particular, satellites of the Iridium and Kuiper constellation, but also satellite of the Telesat constellation on polar orbits are the most exposed at a collision. Moreover, the decommissioning phase contribute for a major part to the final cumulative collision probability.     

Effect of bristle pack position on the rotordynamic characteristics of brush-labyrinth seals at various operating conditions

Over the last few decades, the research on the effect of bristle pack position on the rotordynamic characteristics of the brush-labyrinth seals is not sufficient. To this end, two kinds of brush-labyrinth seals for the bristle pack element installed upstream of the labyrinth teeth named BSU and installed downstream of the labyrinth teeth called BSD were used to investigate the effect of bristle pack position on the rotordynamic characteristics of the brush-labyrinth seals. Using the numerical model combining the porous medium model and the whirling rotor method, the rotordynamic characteristics of the BSU and BSD at various operating conditions including four kinds of pressure ratios, five kinds of inlet preswirl speeds and four kinds of rotor spinning speeds were conducted. The obtained results show that the effects of operating conditions on rotordynamic coefficients for the different seal configurations are different. The direct stiffness, cross-coupled stiffness and direct damping of the BSU are lower than those of the BSD. The rotordynamic coefficients of the BSU are more insensitive to the operating conditions variation. From the perspective of the seal stability, the BSU is a better brush-labyrinth seal configuration at high pressure ratio, high positive preswirl or high rotor spinning speed conditions. While in the case of low pressure ratio, low positive preswirl or low rotor spinning speed conditions, the BSD is a better choice.     

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.     

偏心撞击对撞击式喷嘴雾化特性的影响

为研究偏心撞击对撞击式喷嘴雾化特性的影响,建立了求解自燃推进剂冷态射流撞击雾化过程的数值模拟方案,计算了不同偏心度条件下的射流撞击雾化过程。采用树形自适应加密算法直接求解不可压Navier-Stokes方程组,由分段线性的流体体积(VOF)方法对流体界面进行捕捉。结果表明偏心撞击会导致雾场发生偏转,当无量纲偏心度E为1/8时,雾场偏转角度约为9.2°,应控制加工偏差小于该值。随着偏心度的增大,液膜的偏转角度增大,理论推导得到的液膜偏转角度要小于数值计算得到的液膜偏转角度。正心撞击时燃料与氧化剂流强峰值接近,雾场的流强分布呈单峰分布。当发生偏心撞击时,由于燃料与氧化剂部分射流未参与撞击导致流强峰值出现交错,雾场的流强分布呈双峰分布,混合比的空间分布发生较大改变。正心撞击时撞击点下游液滴的速度分布近似呈轴对称分布,而偏心撞击之后的速度分布则呈中心对称分布。偏心撞击导致的射流动量损失使得雾化性能变差,当无量纲偏心度E为1/8时,一甲基肼(MMH)的Sauter平均直径增大约4.8%,四氧化二氮(NTO)的Sauter平均直径增大约5.8%。      

亚超剪切混合层燃油雾化特性试验研究

为了摸清亚超大梯度剪切混合层内直射式喷嘴的燃油雾化特性，设计了用于向亚超剪切混合流中进行燃油喷射的直射式喷嘴，建立了亚超剪切混合层中燃油雾化试验系统。利用粒子图像测速系统（PIV），对亚超大梯度混合层中油雾场进行测量。通过改变喷嘴流量、喷射角度和喷嘴数量研究不同参数对雾化特性的影响，并应用图像处理技术对亚超大梯度剪切混合层内的油雾场进行分析，总结归纳其雾化规律。试验结果显示：随着流量增大，穿透深度会随之增大，破碎后的颗粒分布峰值所对应的液滴直径会逐渐变小，雾化效果提升；相同流量条件下，喷嘴的角度改变对雾化效果有影响，顺喷和逆喷的雾化效果均好于垂直喷射；逆喷的喷射高度最高，随着流量的增长，燃料将会碰壁；顺喷条件下，随着角度的增加，穿透长度会有所增加；综合燃油轨迹边界，逆喷的效果相对较好。相同流量条件下，喷孔个数的改变对雾化效果和穿透深度的影响不大。     

天基轻气炮发射清除低轨碎片方案及关键技术分析

文章分析了现有的空间碎片清除方式,并以800~1200 km低地球轨道高度上1~10 cm量级的空间碎片为清除目标,提出了天基轻气炮清除碎片的新方法。首先分析了轻气炮有效载荷在典型参数下的弹丸加速能力;之后根据将碎片降轨使其坠入大气层烧毁的设想,提出天基轻气炮共面清除碎片的方式,并选择轨道高度800 km的圆轨道作为碎片运行轨道进行可行性分析。计算表明,对半径10 cm、厚度1 cm的铝合金圆板碎片(质量211.95 g),使用初速1 km/s、重10 g的黏性弹丸可按任务方案达到清除效果。此外,计算出该参数弹丸对轨道高度800~1200 km的圆轨道上可清除的最大碎片质量为500~825 g,证明轻气炮弹丸对1~10 cm的碎片具有较强的清除能力。最后,分析了以轻气炮为有效载荷的航天器在完成清除碎片任务时的关键技术。     

任意波发生器静态特性的评价

介绍了任意波发生器的主要静态特性指标、校准方法及实现过程。通过一组实验．获得了实际校准结果，并对校准中需要注意的问题进行了讨论。所述方法涉及的静态特性内容比较全面。具有足够的测量准确度、分辨力和稳定性。可用于任意波发生器的静态指标评价和计量。     

等质量异形粒子超高速撞击侵蚀

用数值方法模拟双锥，圆柱，椭球、圆锥和倒圆锥五类等质量异形铝粒子五种高宽比共２５种粒子对半无限铝靶的超高速撞击侵蚀，撞击速度为４ｋｍ／ｓ，给出了坑深、坑径、坑形参数和坑体积随粒子形状及高宽比的变化曲线。结果与非圆球异形粒子超高速撞击侵蚀计算有重要参考价值。     

Modelling of Ejecta as a Space Debris Source

When a micro-debris or a micrometeoroid impacts a spacecraft surface, a large number of secondary particles, called ejecta, are produced. These particles can contribute to a modification of the debris environment: either locally by the occurrence of secondary impacts on the components of complex and large space structures, or at great distance by the formation of a population of small orbital debris. This paper describes firstly, the ejecta overall production, and secondly, the lifetime and the orbital evolution of the particles. Finally the repartition of ejecta in LEO is computed. Some results describing the population as a function of size and altitude are presented.     

抗空间碎片碰撞穿透的航天器加强防护板设计

文章描述了以整体薄护罩和等效重量波纹薄护罩制作的双层板结构系统穿孔阻力的研究结果。指出如果以等效重量波纹缓冲器代替整体缓冲器可以显著地增加穿孔防护能力。针对在倾斜超高速碰撞事件中跳飞碎片的产生,波纹薄护罩的波纹参数可以用减少势的方法优化。