Protecting Earth-orbiting spacecraft against micro-meteoroid/orbital debris impact damage using composite structural systems and materials: An overview

Spacecraft that are launched to operate in Earth orbit are susceptible to impacts by meteoroids and pieces of orbital debris (MMOD). The effect of a MMOD particle impact on a spacecraft depends on where the impact occurs, the size, composition, and speed of the impacting object, the function of the impacted system. In order to perform a risk analysis for a particular spacecraft under a specific mission profile, it is important to know whether or not the impacting particle (or its remnants) will exit the rear of an impacted spacecraft wall. A variety of different ballistic limit equations (BLEs) have been developed for many different types of structural wall configurations. BLEs can be used to optimize the design of spacecraft wall parameters so that the resulting configuration is able to withstand the anticipated variety of on-orbit high-speed impact scenarios. While the level of effort exerted in studying the response of metallic multi-wall systems to high speed particle impact is quite substantial, the extent of the effort to study composite material and composite structural systems under similar impact conditions has been much more limited. This paper presents an overview of the activities performed to assess the resiliency of composite structures and materials under high speed projectile impact. The activities reviewed will be those that have been aimed at increasing the level of protection afforded to spacecraft operating in the MMOD environment, and more specifically, on those activities performed to mitigate the mechanical and structural effects of an MMOD impact.     

单层板撞击成坑声发射辨识及参数估计研究

空间碎片撞击航天器的威胁对发展在轨感知系统提出需求,为研制基于声发射技术的感知系统,有必要研究利用声发射波形分析对防护结构进行损伤模式辨识的方法。文章利用超声传感器进行了铝弹丸超高速撞击单层板的声发射信号采集实验及其数值仿真,并对波形在时域和频域内进行分析,结果表明:声发射波形的主波谷值随撞击速度增加而线性增加,直到防护结构被击穿;声发射波形中的高频分量与低频分量幅值之比存在一个区别成坑模式与击穿模式的阈值。基于上述结果提出了一种在撞击弹丸尺寸已知条件下辨识成坑模式并对其撞击速度及其弹坑尺寸进行估计的方案。     

A ballistic limit equation for hypervelocity impacts on composite honeycomb sandwich panel satellite structures

During a recent experimental test campaign performed in the framework of ESA Contract 16721, the ballistic performance of multiple satellite-representative Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP)/Aluminium honeycomb sandwich panel structural configurations (GOCE, Radarsat-2, Herschel/Planck, BeppoSax) was investigated using the two-stage light-gas guns at EMI. The experimental results were used to develop and validate a new empirical Ballistic Limit Equation (BLE), which was derived from an existing Whipple-shield BLE. This new BLE provided a good level of accuracy in predicting the ballistic performance of stand-alone sandwich panel structures. Additionally, the equation is capable of predicting the ballistic limit of a thin Al plate located at a standoff behind the sandwich panel structure. This thin plate is the representative of internal satellite systems, e.g. an Al electronic box cover, a wall of a metallic vessel, etc. Good agreement was achieved with both the experimental test campaign results and additional test data from the literature for the vast majority of set-ups investigated. For some experiments, the ballistic limit was conservatively predicted, a result attributed to shortcomings in correctly accounting for the presence of high surface density multi-layer insulation on the outer facesheet. Four existing BLEs commonly applied for application with stand-alone sandwich panels were reviewed using the new impact test data. It was found that a number of these common approaches provided non-conservative predictions for sandwich panels with CFRP facesheets.     

Comparison of self-healing ionomer to aluminium-alloy bumpers for protecting spacecraft equipment from space debris impacts

This paper discusses the impact behavior of a self-healing ionomeric polymer and compares its protection capability against space debris impacts to that of simple aluminium-alloy bumpers. To this end, 14 impact experiments on both ionomer and Al-7075-T6 thin plates with similar surface density were made with 1.5 mm aluminium spheres at velocity between 1 and 4 km/s.     

Yarkovsky-Schach effect on space debris motion

The Yarkovsky-Schach effect is a small perturbation affecting Earth satellites and space debris illuminated by the Sun. It was first applied to the orbit of LAGEOS satellites as an explanation of the residuals in orbital elements. In this work, we carry out several numerical integration tests taking into consideration various orbit and rotation parameters, in order to analyse this effect in a broader context. The semi-major axis variations remain small and depend on the spin axis attitude with respect to the Sun. We show that the force amplitude is maximised for orbits inclined with $i\approx$?20–30°. We also observe the influence on other orbital elements, notably on the orbit inclination. However, these effects are clearly observed only on long timescales; in our simulations, we propagated the orbits for 200?y. The Yarkovsky-Schach effect is thus confirmed to have a minuscule magnitude. It should be taken into account in studies requiring high-precision orbit determination, or on expanded timescales.     

Analysis of space debris impact source localization based on PVDF piezoelectric film

As the pace of human exploration and utilization of space continues to accelerate, space debris gradually becomes an inevitable problem affecting and threatening human space activities. When space debris strikes the spacecraft bulkhead, determining the impact source location timely and accurately is the foundation of the repair damage, and is also of great importance for the safety of astronauts' life. This paper analyzed the wave propagation law in thin plates, established a lightweight sensor array using PVDF (Polyvinylidene fluoride) circular thin-film sensors, and used a two-stage light-gas gun loading system to conduct hypervelocity collision localization experiments on impacting 2A12 aluminum plates to study the effects of sensor array radius and sensor size on localization results. The results show that the smaller the radius of the PVDF sensor array is, the more accurate the positioning result is under the premise of the same size of the PVDF circular film sensor array. On the premise of the same PVDF sensor array arrangement, the larger the PVDF circular membrane sensor is, the more accurate the positioning result is. ABAQUS finite element software is used to study the stress wave propagation of aluminum ball impacting aluminum plate at high speed, simulating space debris impacting spacecraft. The stress waveform obtained from the simulation is in good agreement with the experiment, which shows the accuracy of the numerical simulation method.     

Strategy to search fragments from breakups in GEO

This paper proposes a strategy to search fragments from breakups in the Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) region based upon population prediction and motion prediction by means of ground-based optical observations. Breakup fragments have uncertainties in the states such as their position and motion, or even in their existence. Population prediction and motion prediction resolve those uncertainties. Population prediction evaluates the time-averaged distribution of fragments, whose position at a given time is unknown, in the celestial sphere. Motion prediction evaluates the expected motion of fragments appeared in image series acquired by a telescope’s CCD camera. This paper logically describes procedures of the search strategy, and provides mathematical expressions of population prediction and motion prediction. This paper also validates the search strategy via actual observations, in which a confirmed breakup in the GEO region is selected as a target. It is concluded that the proposed strategy is valid even for searching uncataloged fragments from breakups in the GEO region.     

High performance motion control for optical satellite tracking systems

This paper investigates the motion control system of an optical telescope system used for precision satellite tracking and ranging applications. The system uses direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) for high precision positioning. To overcome the performance limitations due to system dynamics and position dependent plant variations, a disturbance observer based control system is utilized. This paper contributes the detailed analysis, design and implementation of such an advanced control concept for the performance improvement of precision satellite tracking systems. Satellite tracking experiments are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed system. Utilizing the proposed control concept, the RMS servo error is reduced by a factor of 3.8 to well below the arcsecond range, achieving seeing limited tracking.     

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.     

Assessing and minimizing collisions in satellite mega-constellations

We aim to provide satellite operators and researchers with an efficient means for evaluating and mitigating collision risk during the design process of mega-constellations. We first introduce a novel algorithm for conjunction prediction that relies on large-scale numerical simulations and uses a sequence of filters to greatly reduce its computational expense. We then use this brute-force algorithm to establish baselines of endogenous (intra-constellation), or self-induced, conjunction events for the FCC-reported designs of the OneWeb LEO and SpaceX Starlink mega-constellations. We demonstrate how these deterministic results can be used to validate more computationally efficient, stochastic techniques for close-encounter prediction by adopting a new probabilistic approach from Solar-System dynamics as a simple test case. Finally, we show how our methodology can be applied during the design phase of large constellations by investigating Minimum Space Occupancy (MiSO) orbits, a generalization of classical frozen orbits that holistically account for the perturbed-Keplerian dynamics of the Earth-satellite-Moon-Sun system. The results indicate that the adoption of MiSO orbital configurations of the proposed mega-constellations can significantly reduce the risk of endogenous collisions with nearly indistinguishable adjustments to the nominal orbital elements of the constellation satellites.     

Attitude analysis of space debris using SLR and light curve data measured with single-photon detector

Attitude is the important parameter for active debris removal and collision avoidance. This paper deduced the spin axis orientation and spin period of the rocket body, CZ-3B R/B (NORAD ID 38253), using the satellite laser ranging and light curve data measured with single-photon detector at Graz station. The epoch method and LC & SLR residuals fitting were combined to determine these values. The derived right ascension angle was around 220°, the declination angle was near 64° and the sidereal period was calculated to be 117.724 s, for 2017-07-03. The results derived from the two distinct methods were mutually validated. Rocket bodies are a major contributor to space debris and this work provides a reference for attitude determination and attitude modelling.     

Uncertainty propagation for statistical impact prediction of space debris

Predictions of the impact time and location of space debris in a decaying trajectory are highly influenced by uncertainties. The traditional Monte Carlo (MC) method can be used to perform accurate statistical impact predictions, but requires a large computational effort. A method is investigated that directly propagates a Probability Density Function (PDF) in time, which has the potential to obtain more accurate results with less computational effort. The decaying trajectory of Delta-K rocket stages was used to test the methods using a six degrees-of-freedom state model. The PDF of the state of the body was propagated in time to obtain impact-time distributions. This Direct PDF Propagation (DPP) method results in a multi-dimensional scattered dataset of the PDF of the state, which is highly challenging to process. No accurate results could be obtained, because of the structure of the DPP data and the high dimensionality. Therefore, the DPP method is less suitable for practical uncontrolled entry problems and the traditional MC method remains superior. Additionally, the MC method was used with two improved uncertainty models to obtain impact-time distributions, which were validated using observations of true impacts. For one of the two uncertainty models, statistically more valid impact-time distributions were obtained than in previous research.     

Simulation of long-term rotational dynamics of large space debris: A TOPEX/Poseidon case study

Accurate knowledge of the rotational dynamics of a large space debris is crucial for space situational awareness (SSA), whether it be for accurate orbital predictions needed for satellite conjunction analyses or for the success of an eventual active debris removal mission charged with stabilization, capture and removal of debris from orbit. In this light, the attitude dynamics of an inoperative satellite of great interest to the space debris community, the joint French and American spacecraft TOPEX/Poseidon, is explored. A comparison of simulation results with observations obtained from high-frequency satellite range measurements is made, showing that the spacecraft is currently spinning about its minor principal axis in a stable manner. Predictions of the evolution of its attitude motion to 2030 are presented, emphasizing the uncertainty on those estimates due to internal energy dissipation, which could cause a change of its spin state in the future. The effect of solar radiation pressure and the eddy-current torque are investigated in detail, and insights into some of the satellite’s missing properties are provided. These results are obtained using a novel, open-source, coupled orbit-attitude propagation software, the Debris SPin/Orbit Simulation Environment (D-SPOSE), whose primary goal is the study of the long-term evolution of the attitude dynamics of large space debris.     

Debris swarms seen by SMEI

The large 3° × 60° fields-of-view of the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) instruments are oriented on the stabilized Coriolis satellite to image most of the sky each Sun-synchronous orbit. Besides observing coronal mass ejections, the SMEI mission objective, SMEI also has detected a plethora of Earth-orbiting satellites (resident space objects or RSOs) brighter than ∼8th magnitude at a rate of about 1 per minute. Occasionally, SMEI sees an RSO swarm: a sudden onset of a large number of RSOs, many more than the nominal rate, upto dozens detected in a 4-s frame. These swarms usually last for a few minutes. A sample of six such RSO ensembles is analyzed in this paper in which the distance and the direction of the velocity vector for individual objects are estimated. We present the observational evidence indicating that the swarms must be near-field objects traveling in orbits near that of Coriolis, and that the relatively speeds between the objects and Coriolis are low. Further, analyses indicate that the RSOs are quite close (<20 m) and are generally moving radially away from the satellite. The predicted encounter geometries for Coriolis passing through or near a small debris cloud is, generally, quite inconsistent with the observations. The most likely explanation consistent with the observations is that SMEI is seeing debris being ejected from the Coriolis spacecraft itself. An analysis of distance and brightness for a subset of the RSOs indicates that the median diameter of the debris particles is ∼80 μm.     

Cosmos 2421卫星解体事件分析

2008年上半年俄罗斯的Cosmos 2421卫星接连发生了三次不同程度的解体, 并产生了数百颗碎片. 本文利用美国公布的Cosmos 2421卫星及其碎片的两行根数系列, 对三次解体事件发生的时间, 解体碎片的轨道分布、速度分布和面积质量比以及寿命等进行了分析, 并对解体碎片对航天器的影响进行了评估. 分析结果表明, Cosmos2421卫星的三次解体事件分别发生在2008年3月14日、4月28日、6月9日; 解体碎片分布在200~1400 km 的高度范围内; Cosmos 2421卫星解体导致的碎片在空间三个方向上的速度增量均值分别为-8.4m/s, 8.6m/s, -8.3m/s; 67\%的解体碎片的寿命都在1年以内, 解体事件造成500 km以下的空间碎片空间密度增加, 对载人航天器产生了影响. 通过对Cosmos 2421卫星解体事件的分析可以看出, 利用解体碎片的轨道信息可以反演解体事件特性, 根据解体碎片的寿命和空间密度分布的计算结果可以评估解体事件对未来发射活动和在轨卫星的影响.     

空间碎片减缓措施及其研究对策

随着人类空间技术的进步和发展 ,每年发射进入太空的人造天体越来越多。当这些人造天体失效后 ,由于目前人类对其缺乏及时有效的回收手段 ,随着时间的推移 ,堆积在太空中的废弃物将越来越多 ,总有一天人类再也不能向太空中发射任何人造天体。因此为了合理利用和保护有限的太空资源 ,则必须减少或清除太空垃圾。文章正是基于上述目的 ,在人类尚无有效回收手段的情况下 ,考虑利用现有的技术提出一些空间碎片的减缓措施 ,并在此基础上提出中国对空间碎片减缓应采取的对策     

LEO空间碎片甚短弧角度数据初轨确定方法对比

光学观测是空间目标观测中最常见的一种观测方式。采用扫描模式工作时光学观测得到的观测弧段弧长通常很短,有时甚至不到被观测空间目标运行周期的1%,这样的角度数据被称为甚短弧角度数据。基于近圆LEO空间碎片地基实测场景,研究比较仅利用角度数据进行初始轨道确定常用方法的性能差异,分析观测弧长对不同初轨确定算法的定轨成功率和误差的影响,为初轨确定工作提供参考。对比分析了常用的几种方法,包括Laplace方法、Gauss方法、Gooding方法和近几年提出的距离搜索算法等。大规模实测数据处理结果显示,距离搜索算法的成功率高于90%,初轨半长轴统计误差仅为25 km。初轨结果表明,距离搜索算法定轨成功率高于其他算法。研究成果可为解决空间碎片初轨确定问题提供参考。     

带电粒子云的演变过程

根据带电粒子云从破碎点开始向空间扩散过程中粒子云密度和形状的变化规律,以几何形状和起主要作用的因素为特征,定义了球形、椭球形、绳形、螺旋线形、全方位弥漫直至球壳形6个演变阶段.论述了在各个阶段的主要特征和对演变过程起主要作用的因素.分析了在各个阶段电磁场对带电粒子的摄动影响,比较了带电粒子云与不带电粒子云在演化过程上的差异.在球形阶段起主要作用的是分离速度,带电碎片之间的排斥力加快了碎片扩散的速度.从椭球形阶段到球壳形阶段,带电粒子和不带电粒子的演化规律基本一致.带电粒子的演化过程加快或减慢取决于粒子带正电或带负电.将电场摄动力等效于改变地球引力的大小,罗列了阶段转换标志点时刻的计算公式.利用计算机仿真的方法,给出了各个阶段不带电碎片云和带电碎片云分布示意图,验证了演变过程阶段划分和电磁场摄动分析的合理性.     

Different space weather effects in anomalies of the high and low orbital satellites

Preliminary results of the EU INTAS Project 00810, which aims to improve the methods of safeguarding satellites in the Earth’s magnetosphere from the negative effects of the space environment, are presented. Anomaly data from the “Kosmos” series satellites in the period 1971–1999 are combined in one database, together with similar information on other spacecraft. This database contains, beyond the anomaly information, various characteristics of the space weather: geomagnetic activity indices (Ap, AE and Dst), fluxes and fluences of electrons and protons at different energies, high energy cosmic ray variations and other solar, interplanetary and solar wind data. A comparative analysis of the distribution of each of these parameters relative to satellite anomalies was carried out for the total number of anomalies (about 6000 events), and separately for high (5000 events) and low (about 800 events) altitude orbit satellites. No relation was found between low and high altitude satellite anomalies. Daily numbers of satellite anomalies, averaged by a superposed epoch method around sudden storm commencements and proton event onsets for high (>1500 km) and low (<1500 km) altitude orbits revealed a big difference in a behavior. Satellites were divided on several groups according to the orbital characteristics (altitude and inclination). The relation of satellite anomalies to the environmental parameters was found to be different for various orbits that should be taken into account under developing of the anomaly frequency models.