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.     

部署retro-GEO巡视器的月球借力飞行轨道分析

retro-GEO是指逆行（retrograde）地球静止轨道（geostationary Earth orbit, GEO），该轨道与GEO轨道高度相同或相近，但倾角为180°，安装在retro-GEO卫星上的巡视器可每12h对GEO带空间资产附近碎片环境安全预警。直接西向发射retro-GEO卫星存在地面测控和发射能耗较大的困难。基于平面四体模型，为降低设计变量敏感性，以近月点参数为设计变量，建立了部署retro-GEO巡视器的月球借力飞行轨道设计模型，利用轨道动力学模型延拓策略，得到该类轨道绕月后返回地球飞行时长只能约为114.79h，该结论可用于求解该类轨道高精度轨道动力学模型解。     

针对旋翼流场模拟的自适应网格算法

针对基于格心格式求解器的旋翼流场模拟,提出了相应的自适应笛卡尔网格的数据存储结构及自适应算法。给出了相应的单元处理策略,简化了对自适应笛卡尔网格的处理;对于频繁的自适应加密过程中产生的大量重复点,采用了高效的交替数字树算法(Alternating digital tree,ADT)予以删除;对于自适应疏化过程中产生的大量无用点,提出了标记-删除-移动(Mark,delete,move,MDM)算法予以快速地删除,减少了不必要的计算资源消耗。对CaradonnaTung旋翼在不同悬停状态下进行了模拟验证,对比了压力分布系数与桨尖涡位置。之后对HELISHAPE 7A旋翼在前飞情况下进行了模拟验证,计算值与实验值吻合。此外,求解器对桨尖涡的捕捉效果得到了明显的提高,表明本文方法具有良好的有效性与鲁棒性。     

基于合成射流的旋翼翼型动态失速控制研究

针对直升机旋翼工作环境下来流速度和迎角(Angle of attack,AoA)耦合引起的动态失速问题,建立了基于合成射流的旋翼动态失速控制的数值模拟方法。采用运动嵌套网格方法,通过对翼型的平移和旋转实现变来流速度-变迎角的耦合。以积分形式的雷诺平均N-S方程为主控方程,空间离散使用Roe格式,时间离散为隐式LU-SGS方法,以OA209翼型为研究对象,在翼型上表面放置合成射流激振器,开展了射流位置、动量系数、无量纲频率以及偏角等参数对轻度失速、深度失速下翼型动态失速控制的研究。研究发现,轻度失速下,射流位置靠近气流分离点时(20%c附近,c为翼型弦长),对逆压梯度引起的轻度失速控制效果最佳。深度失速下气流分离点虽在5%c之前,但射流位于前缘分离泡后端(10%c附近)时控制效果较好。大迎角需要较大的动量系数才能有效控制。射流频率对涡结构的尺寸和数量会产生一定影响,能改变气动特性波动幅度。较小的射流偏角对轻度失速的控制更有效,而深度失速则需要较大的偏角。     

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。     

预测悬停旋翼跨音速流动的一种组合自由尾流/CFD方法

一种新的组合自由尾流 / CFD方法用于悬停旋翼流动的 CFD解中以考虑实际尾流的作用 .用文中描述的尾流分析方法研究了螺旋尖涡的运动 .首先从广义尾流模型开始 ,用半经验公式模化了涡核对旋翼尾流的作用 ;然后在环量收敛和尾迹收敛的条件下完成了自由尾迹计算 ;最后应用 Jameson有限体积龙格 -库塔推进格式求解了欧拉方程 .所得结果与相关文献和实验数据进行了比较     

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。