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: $ 6.7万
• 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: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=760235
• 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.

地球周围的自然和人造物体（空间碎片）的数量正在迅速增加，从而构成与运行中的卫星相撞的严重风险。因此，所有卫星运营商都必须拥有工具，使他们能够以足够的精度确定和预测这些物体的物理位置，预测碰撞概率，并设计以最佳方式执行避碰机动的方案。与此同时，还必须开发被动和主动清除空间碎片的方法。拟议研究计划的目标是在处理上述问题的卫星动力学领域取得进展。具体将开展以下研究：（一）研究空间碎片轨道-姿态耦合传播。 考虑到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细节： (a) 碎片在捕获后必须转移到墓地轨道。一个明显的方法是使用拖船和系绳将碎片拖至墓地轨道。将研究该牵引问题的各个方面，包括如何最佳地进行系留系统的低推力轨道转移。 (b) 一种具有很大潜力的被动碎片清除方法是将电动系绳连接到碎片上，以使轨道衰变更快。目前与这些系统相关的许多动力学和稳定性问题尚未得到很好的理解。这些都会被调查。 (c) 系留空间操纵器在捕获空间碎片方面具有一些优势。将研究这些系留机械手的动力学和控制。 (iii) 空间资产定期进行避碰机动，以避免空间碎片飞向它们。机动涉及许多决策：多少脉冲、何时启动机动、何时返回原始轨道、偏离距离是多少等。该项目的目标是评估这些决策的后果并设计最佳决策。 该研究计划的主要成果之一是培养空间技术领域的高素质人才。预计 5 年期间，将有 1 名博士后、6 名博士生、6 名硕士生和几名本科生与我一起从事与该研究项目相关的各种子项目。 该研究计划不仅将增进空间碎片研究领域的知识，而且还将使加拿大航天工业和卫星运营商受益。它还有可能为加拿大国防部的太空态势感知活动做出贡献。