Projects on Space Situational Awareness - Tracking of Space Debris, Collision Avoidance and Removal of Space Debris

空间态势感知项目——空间碎片跟踪、避免碰撞和清除空间碎片

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-04957
• 负责人: Misra, Arun
• 金额: $ 3.35万
• 依托单位: McGill University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=712617
• 关键词: Projects; Space; Situational; Awareness; Tracking

The number of natural and man-made objects (space debris) around the Earth is growing rapidly, thereby posing a serious risk of collision with operational satellites. Hence it has become necessary for all satellite operators to possess tools that will provide them capability to determine and predict physical location of these objects with sufficient accuracy, predict collision probability, and devise schemes to carry out collision avoidance maneuvers in an optimal manner. At the same time, methods to remove space debris, both passive and active, must also be developed. The objective of the proposed research program is to make advances in the satellite dynamics area dealing with the above-mentioned issues. Specifically, the following studies will be conducted: (i) Coupled orbit-attitude propagation of space debris will be studied. Appropriate mathematical models will be developed considering various environmental and perturbation effects. Efficient computational tools will be developed to analyze the models by exploiting the fact that the propagation involves multiple time scales. (ii) Details of several active and passive debris removal methods will be investigated: (a) The debris must be transferred to a graveyard orbit after its capture. An obvious method is to tow the debris to the graveyard orbit using a tug and a tether. Various aspects of this towing problem will be studied, including how to carry out a low-thrust orbital transfer of a tethered system optimally. (b) One passive debris removal method, that has a lot of potential, involves attaching an electrodynamic tether to the debris to make the orbital decay faster. Many dynamics and stability issues associated with these systems are not well-understood at present. These will be investigated. (c) A tethered space manipulator can have some advantages for capturing space debris. Dynamics and control of these tethered manipulators will be studied. (iii) Space assets conduct collision avoidance maneuvers regularly to avoid space debris heading towards them. The maneuvers involve many decisions: how many impulses, when to initiate the maneuver, when to return to the original orbit, what is the miss distance, etc. The goal of this project is to evaluate the consequences of these decisions and devise optimal ones. One of the key outcomes of the research program is to train highly qualified personnel in the area of space technology. It is estimated that 1 postdoctoral fellow, 6 doctoral students, 6 Master's students, and several undergraduate students will work with me on various sub-projects associated with the research program over the 5- year period. The research program will not only advance knowledge in the area of space debris research, but also will benefit Canadian space industry and satellite operators. It also has the potential to contribute to the space situational awareness activities of the Department of National Defence of Canada.

地球周围的天然和人造物体（空间碎屑）的数量正在迅速增长，从而构成了与操作卫星相撞的严重风险。因此，所有卫星运营商都必须拥有能够以足够准确的准确性来确定和预测这些物体的物理位置的工具，这是必要的，预测碰撞概率，并设计方案以最佳的方式执行碰撞避免操作。同时，还必须开发去除被动和活动性空间碎片的方法。拟议的研究计划的目的是在处理上述问题的卫星动力区域中进步。具体而言，将进行以下研究： （i）将研究空间碎片的轨道式传播。 考虑各种环境和扰动效应，将开发适当的数学模型。将开发有效的计算工具来通过利用传播涉及多个时间尺度的事实来分析模型。 （ii）将研究几种主动和被动碎片清除方法的详细信息： （a）碎片捕获后必须将碎片转移到墓地轨道上。一种明显的方法是用拖船和系绳将碎屑拖到墓地轨道上。将研究此牵引问题的各个方面，包括如何最佳地对束缚系统进行低门轨道转移。 （b）一种具有很多潜力的被动碎片去除方法涉及将电动力系带连接到碎屑上，以使轨道衰减更快。目前，与这些系统相关的许多动态和稳定问题目前尚未得到充分理解。这些将被调查。 （c）束缚空间操纵器可以具有捕获太空碎片的一些优势。将研究这些束缚操纵器的动力和控制。 （iii）太空资产会定期进行避免碰撞操作，以避免空间碎片朝向它们。这项操作涉及许多决定：有多少冲动，何时启动操纵，何时返回原始轨道，错过的距离等。该项目的目标是评估这些决定的后果并设计最佳的后果。 研究计划的主要结果之一是培训在太空技术领域的高素质人员。据估计，在5年期间，有1名博士后研究员，6名博士生，6名硕士学生和几位本科生将与我一起研究与研究计划相关的各种次项目。 该研究计划不仅将提高空间碎片研究领域的知识，而且还将使加拿大太空行业和卫星运营商受益。它还有可能为加拿大国防部的太空情境意识活动做出贡献。