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。

Analysis of LEO debris removal by space-based light gas gun and key technologies

This paper analyzes the existing ways of space debris removal, and puts forward a new method by using the space-based light gas gun to remove the debris of scales from 1-10 cm at an attitude of 800 km to 1200 km. Firstly, the projectile acceleration capability of the light gas gun payload of typical parameters is analyzed. Then, based on the idea of pushing the debris into the atmosphere and burning it, the altitude of 800 km circle orbit is selected for the feasibility analysis of coplanar removal of space debris by spaceborne light gas gun ejection. The analysis shows that the viscous projectile with an initial velocity of 1 km/s and a weight of 10 g can well remove the aluminum alloy debris with a mass of 211.95 g. To study the mass range of the debris that can be removed under the scheme, the perigee altitudes of the debris of different masses at the attitude of 800-1200 km after hitting with the projectile are calculated, and the result shows that the maximum mass of the debris is 825 g for 800 km altitude and not less than 500 g for 1200 km altitude, respectively. It proves that the light gas gun projectile has a strong ability to remove debris of the scale of 1-10 cm. Finally, the key techniques of the spacecraft with light gas gun as payload in removing space debris are analyzed.