对一种利用人造粉尘清除空间碎片新方法的理论分析

近地轨道的空间碎片污染日益严重,目前碎片数量已达到历史最高值并可能引发一系列连锁反应.进行主动碎片清除十分必要.利用粉尘主动清除近地轨道空间碎片是一种主动碎片清除的新方法.本文基于此方法的基本原理进行分析研究,建立了单颗碎片与人造粉尘作用的基本假设和机理模型,并对其作用进行定量计算分析;结合碎片的空间密度分布,对该方法的作用效果进行了定量估算,得出一些基本分析结论,有助于对新方法的客观认识.

Theoretic Analysis on a New Technique of Dust-based Active Debris Removal

It is believed that the number of debris located near Low Earth Orbit (LEO) has approached the tipping point, which is the threshold for collision cascade. The Active Debris Removal (ADR) has come to be very necessary. Method on a new technique for cleaning space junk at the low earth orbit through dust-based ADR system has been proposed and researched by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. In this paper, special theoretical analysis on the new method is made. Firstly, the basic hypothesis and interaction mechanism models between single fraction and artificial dust are built, and the interaction results are calculated and analyzed quantitatively. Then, space debris density distribution is analyzed, the action effect of the new method is studied, and some basic conclusions are obtained. These results will help to understand the new method objectively.