Active extermination of space debris in near-Earth space orbits
- Paper number
IAC-05-B6.3.04
- Author
Mr. Yunir V. Gataullin, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany
- Year
2005
- Abstract
For the last 45 years world astronautics has made more than 4000 space launches and has generated approximately 13 000 trackable objects in near-Earth space orbits. Only some six to seven hundreds of these are operational spacecrafts; the remainder constitute is space debris, and many are traveling fast enough to seriously damage or destroy anything they hit. The space debris problem is significant and has to be solved.
The solution of this problem can be passive or active. The passive solution is to wait until the time, when the space debris will fall down on to the Earth due to planet’s gravitational forces. As an active solution I suppose to enforce the debris to fall down as soon as the action was applied. In this paper one of the active solutions is introduced. Within the scope of the project the theoretical design of the "Space Orbit Cleaner" (further SOC) is carried out. The spacecraft is designed to be operable on LEO. Along with its own BUS systems (thermal, structure, energy, etc.) it has a payload system. The payload is in fact "GUN", but the gun which does not represent a danger for all other operating spacecrafts. The idea of debris extermination can be briefly described in five stages:
- SOC reaches the Low Earth Orbit;
- Tracks the debris, using super-sensitive radar and sensors;
- Analyses the debris structure and its properties;
- Increases the mass of the debris or gives the impulse towards the Earth, spreading water (or ice) drops in the direction of the debris;
- Debris goes toward the Earth and “burns” in the atmosphere.
Above represented method is the possibility to exterminate approximately 15 to 25 % of existing debris on LEO. However the design is to be further implemented and new approaches can be found to be useful.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-05-B6.3.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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