空间模拟碎片释放装置技术方案

为配合空间碎片主动清除技术的演示验证试验,提出了一种空间模拟碎片释放装置的技术方案:由模拟碎片及分离解锁装置组成。模拟碎片不具备任何合作特征,最初通过压紧杆与分离解锁装置相连,释放时由火工切割器切断压紧杆,模拟碎片在压缩弹簧的驱动下与分离解锁装置分离。最后,通过静载、模态、运动特性分析及分离解锁试验验证了该释放装置设计的正确性。     

双臂自由飞行空间机器人捕捉目标实验研究

本文主要介绍了在地面上模拟的空间微重力环境下双臂自由飞行空间机器人捕捉目标的实验。首先介绍了双臂自由飞行空间机器人地面实验平台，该实验平台由机器人模型、视觉系统、无线通讯系统、网络系统、操作台、运动规划系统、气浮系统七个子模块构成。其次简单介绍了双臂自由飞行空间机器人捕捉目标策略，最后介绍了基于该实验平台的几种实验。     

基于轨迹规划的自由漂浮空间机器人抓取运动物体的研究

针对空间机器人非完整性和冗余性，对笛卡空间下的轨迹规划问题进行了研究。在此基础上，分析了空间机器人抓取运动物体的策略，提出了基于轨迹规划的空间机器人路径规划方法，并以三自由度空间机器人为例，对空间机器人抓取运动目标体的问题进行了研究，该方法是开环控制方法，但由于在进行轨迹跟踪过程中，误差不累积，得到的实际曲线与理论曲线相近，误差达到了规定的范围。     

MOS电容型微小空间碎片探测器探头研究

MOS电容传感器具有结构简单、可靠、功耗小等优点,在国外已被成功用于微小空间碎片在轨探测,但国内开展的相关研究还较少。文章在对MOS电容传感器探测微小空间碎片原理及过程进行分析的基础上,基于ADS软件建立了传感器电路模型,确定了影响传感器探测性能的关键参数,完成了传感器的设计及研制,进而研制了阵列式探头。最后对阵列式探头成功开展了地面高速微粒撞击试验,探头在经过了数十次高速微粒撞击后,仍能对高速撞击事件进行测量,初步验证了使用该探头开展在轨微小空间碎片探测是可行的。     

空间碎片捕获过程动力学建模综述

文章分析了绳系捕获系统建模及精细化、捕获系统低阶鲁棒控制器和捕获过程半物理仿真的研究现状,并提出了有关空间碎片捕获过程动力学建模及仿真验证领域待解决的一些基本问题,为研制空间碎片回收系统奠定了理论基础。     

空间碎片飞网捕获仿真研究

文章利用动力学建模的方法分析了采用柔性飞网进行空间碎片捕获的过程。以非合作性目标捕获系统为基础建立了柔性飞网X模型,利用EXCEL和MATLAB对飞网捕获碎片的全过程进行仿真,重点分析了抛射速度和抛射角度对飞网捕获能力的影响。结果表明,随着抛射角度的增大,飞网的捕获能力无明显变化;随着抛射速度的增大,飞网的捕获能力增强。     

空间碎片环境现状与主动移除技术

概述了空间碎片环境现状和对航天活动的影响,讨论了空间碎片主动移除对保持空间碎片环境稳定的必要性。空间碎片研究重心先从防护转向减缓,再转到主动移除,最终是清洁空间。评述了空间碎片主动移除技术现状,指出天基激光主动移除空间碎片技术具有很好的工程应用潜力。     

Study on electrodynamic tether system for space debris removal

As a countermeasure for suppressing space debris growth (P. Eighler, A. Bade, Chain Reaction of Debris Generation by Collisions in Space—A Final Threat to Spaceflight? in: 40th Congress of the International Astronautical Federation, IAA-89-628, October 1989), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan is investigating a satellite capture, repair and removal system for non-cooperative satellites, part of which involves assessing the viability of electrodynamic tether (EDT) technology as an orbital transfer system. In this paper, some results concerning the time required to remove existing satellites, the behavior of flexible tethers during the debris separation phase, and orbital transfer strategies of EDT systems during space debris removal operations are described. From numerical simulations, it is found that EDT systems can transfer satellites from LEO to orbits with a short lifetime within a realistic timeframe. It is also found that the stability of EDT systems is compromised when debris separation occurs both while a tether current is running and when the ratio of the end mass to that of the service satellite is high. To ensure stability, the end mass should be selected from the target debris group with due regard for the maximum possible mass that can be maneuvered safely. Moreover, it is also found that orbital elements (a, e, i) can be changed independently with an adequate current control strategy.     

Space debris and the need for space traffic control

This report summarises the presentations which took place at the ‘Space Traffic Control – Is the Space Debris Problem Solvable?’ conference hosted by the Royal Aeronautical Society on the 2nd July 2013. The conference sought to promote discussion over methods to deal with the issue of space debris in particular and speakers included representatives from the European Space Agency, the United Kingdom Space Agency, practitioners and academia. Themes which emerged during the conference included the urgency of the problem of space debris, the need for short-term and long-term solutions, the necessity for the development and implementation of space debris remediation technologies to complement existing mitigation efforts and, last but not least, the wider applications of space traffic control. Regarding the sub-title of the conference, ‘is the space debris problem solvable?’, it would appear from the presentations that while there is the potential for future management of the issue through debris remediation and harmonised mitigation efforts, no comprehensive solutions exist at the time of writing.     

A space based radar on a micro-satellite for in-situ detection of small orbital debris

The increase in the number of satellites in the Near Earth Orbit is exponential. The consequent increase in pollution of the orbital environment is of growing concern to the international community. There are currently only two observation systems available for measurement of orbital debris. Ground based radar and telescopes can detect objects larger than about 7 cm. Passive space based systems provide an accurate statistical estimation of flux for debris smaller than about 0.1 mm in size. Consequently, there is no way of obtaining information about debris in the millimeter-size range. Considering that the relative speed between objects in space is commonly in the km/s range, millimeter sized debris carry enough energy to be deadly to astronauts or to totally destroy the functioning of any satellite. Then National space agencies have recommended launching orbital spacecraft carrying debris detection experiments for gaining a better understanding of small debris.CNES (the French Space Agency) is developing a new family of micro-satellites, that will make possible to put into orbit a totally new system of radar that could measure in-situ flux of debris. We present results of this system analysis, which would cumulate the advantages of both ground-based radar and in orbit passive experiments.The proposed method for detection is quite original and allows the radar to act like a band-pass filter with respect to the debris diameter. The optimum frequency is shown to be in the Ka-band. Two points are critical in the definition of the radar: the average power available and the false alarm probability in the detection criterion. Therefore, we present a special receiver chain in order to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio. The estimate of the radial velocity through Doppler frequency measurement may be used to discriminate orbital debris from meteoroids. This system could be built today using an existing Continuous Wave amplifier. Several hundreds of objects per year could be detected yielding an accurate statistical estimation.The orbital debris radar would be a major contribution to our knowledge of millimeter sized debris. This experiment would contribute to making the current models more accurate at all inclinations. The micro-satellite concept would make the orbital debris radar mission cheap enough for considering a constellation of such satellites.     

空间碎片超高速碰撞数值分析

采用光滑粒子流体动力学(SPH)方法对空间碎片超高速碰撞问题作了模拟分析,给出了靶孔直径和碎片云宽度随碰撞速度的变化、累积碎片分布、碎片云无量纲向前总动量随膨胀距离的变化、碎片云前端速度的变化规律以及碎片云速度矢量等。     

ICAN: A novel laser architecture for space debris removal

The development of a fiber based laser architecture will enable novel applications in environments which have hitherto been impossible due to size, efficiency and power of traditional systems. Such a new architecture has been developed by the International Coherent Amplification Network (ICAN) project. Here we present an analysis of utilizing an ICAN laser for the purpose of tracking and de-orbiting hyper-velocity space debris. With an increasing number of new debris from collisions of active, derelict and new payloads in orbit, there is a growing danger of runaway debris impacts. Due to its compactness and efficiency, it is shown that space-based operation would be possible. For different design parameters such as fiber array size, it is shown that the kHz repetition rate and kW average power of ICAN would be sufficient to de-orbit small 1–10 cm debris within a single instance via laser ablation.     

激光驱动飞片系统模拟空间碎片超高速撞击

文章介绍了北京卫星环境工程研究所采用激光驱动飞片系统将厚度5μm的铝质飞片发射到8.3 km/s.该驱动系统采用调Q钕玻璃激光,脉宽15 ns,最大能量达到20 J.针对热控材料、舷窗玻璃及OSR等外部表面功能材料开展了超高速撞击实验研究,取得初步研究结果.实验结果表明激光驱动飞片技术可很好地用于模拟微流星/空间碎片超高速撞击效应研究.     

空间碎片的温度特性分析

对空间碎片温度特性的分析,是利用红外传感器探测空间碎片的基础,也是研究航天器在轨安全的重要内容。文章对空间碎片接收不同辐射进行全面分析,研究其在轨运行情况,建立热平衡方程,完成对不同时刻其温度变化的计算,并绘制出温度变化曲线。结果表明空间碎片在轨道上不同位置有不同的红外辐射特性。该研究对利用天基空间探测器进行空间碎片的检测、识别,以及航天器的规避有参考意义。     

Estimation of debris dispersion due to a space vehicle breakup during reentry

This paper studies the problem of the estimation of the extent of the airspace containing falling debris due to a space vehicle breakup. A precise propagation of debris to the ground is not practical for many reasons. There is insufficient knowledge of the initial state vector, ambient wind conditions, and the key parameters including the ballistic coefficients. In addition, propagation of all debris pieces to the ground would require extensive computer time. In this paper, a covariance propagation method is introduced for the estimation of debris dispersion due to a space vehicle breakup. The falling debris is simulated, and the data are analyzed to derive the probability of debris evolution in different altitude layers over time. The concept of positional probability ellipsoids is employed for the visualization of the results. Through a case study, it is shown that while the results of the covariance propagation method are in close agreement with those of the Monte Carlo method, the covariance propagation method is much more computationally efficient than the Monte Carlo method.     

Controlling the motion of a spacecraft when approaching a large object of space debris

The problem of calculating the parameters of maneuvering a spacecraft as it approaches a large object of space debris (LOSD) in close near-circular noncoplanar orbits has been considered. In [1–4], the results of analyzing the problem of the flyby of the separated LOSD groups have been presented. It has been assumed that a collector spacecraft approaches the LOSD and captures it or it is inserted into the nozzle of a small spacecraft that has a proper propulsion system (PS). However, in these papers, the flight from one object to another was only analyzed and the problem of approaching to LOSD with a given accuracy was not considered. This paper is a supplement to the cycle of papers [1–4]. It is assumed that, the final stage of approaching the LOSD is implemented by maneuvering in many orbits (up to several dozens) with low-thrust engines, but the PS operating time is fairly small compared with the orbit period in order to make it possible to use impulse approximation in the calculations.     

An International Environmental Agreement for space debris mitigation among asymmetric nations

We investigate how ideas from the International Environmental Agreement (IEA) literature can be applied to the problem of space debris mitigation. Space debris pollution is similar to other international environmental problems in that there is a potential for a “tragedy of the commons” effect: individual nations bear all the cost of their mitigation measures but share only a fraction of the benefit. As a consequence, nations have a tendency to underinvest in mitigation. Coalitions of nations, brought together by IEAs, have the potential to lessen the tragedy of the commons effect by pooling the costs and benefits of mitigation. This work brings together two recent modeling advances: (i) a game theoretic model for studying the potential gains from IEA cooperation between nations with asymmetric costs and benefits, (ii) an orbital debris model that gives the societal cost that specific actions, such as failing to deorbit an inactive spacecraft, have on the environment. We combine these two models with empirical launch-share data for a “proof of concept” of an IEA for a single mitigation measure—deorbiting spacecraft at the end of operational lifetime. Simulations of empirically derived and theoretical launch distributions among nations suggest the possibility that voluntary coalitions can provide significant deorbiting gains relative to nations acting in the absence of an IEA agreement.     

Solution of the flyby problem for large space debris at sun-synchronous orbits

the paper considers the flyby problem related to large space debris (LSD) objects at low earth orbits. The data on the overall dimensions of known last and upper stages of launch vehicles makes it possible to single out five compact groups of such objects from the NORAD catalog in the 500–2000 km altitude interval. The orbits of objects of each group have approximately the same inclinations. The features of the mutual distribution of the orbital planes of LSD objects in the group are shown in a portrait of the evolution of deviations of the right ascension of ascending nodes (RAAN). In the case of the first three groups (inclinations of 71°, 74°, and 81°), the straight lines of relative RAAN deviations of object orbits barely intersect each other. The fourth (83°) and fifth (97°–100°) LSD groups include a considerable number of objects whose orbits are described by straight lines (diagonals), which intersect other lines many times. The use of diagonals makes it possible to significantly reduce the temporal and total characteristic velocity expenditures required for object flybys, but it complicates determination of the flyby sequence. Diagonal solutions can be obtained using elements of graph theory. A solution to the flyby problem is presented for the case of group 5, formed of LSD objects at sun-synchronous orbits.     

空间碎片国际机制发展趋势分析

文章通过对空间碎片国际机制(多边谈判机制)的分析,指出其发展趋势,从而为中国参加相关谈判工作提供参考。空间碎片国际机制的发展已呈现出明显的政策化、法律化和制度化的趋势。无论是从外空利益争夺、外空战略实现,还是从中国航天事业可持续发展、中国航天立法体系完善的角度来讲,积极参加空间碎片技术合作与规则制定的国际谈判都具有重要意义。从国内建设上来看,中国应尽快制定“技术—政策(战略)—法律”三位一体的解决思路和具体方案;从国际层面看,可以借鉴美国一直坚持和贯彻的“技术—政策—国内规则—国际软法—国际法”外空策略,来开展空间碎片减缓和清除等方面的技术与规则制定的合作。