Methods of registration of the radioactive space debris
- Paper number
IAC-11,A6,1,11,x11870
- Author
Prof. Kirill A. Boyarchuk, Research Institute for Electromechanics, Russia
- Coauthor
Prof. Sergey Ulin, MIFI, Russia
- Coauthor
Ms. Maria Anikeeva, NPP VNIIEM, Russia
- Year
2011
- Abstract
In the present work the method of detection and cataloguing of elements of radioactive space debris is presented. This method is based on a space segment of detecting equipment, and also allows to detect specify characteristics of materials. The radioactive space debris consists of different components which under the characteristics can be divided into three basic groups: 1.Fragments of nuclear power installations; 2.Separate spacecrafts with the nuclear power installations, which finished the running cycle; 3.Operating spacecrafts on which board there are those or other nuclear installations representing potential danger in connection with probability of their destruction because of their collision with elements of usual space debris or with meteors Radioactive elements of each of these groups have specific radiating characteristics. Research of these characteristics allows to define type of radioactive fragments of space debris. We investigated following methods: Gamma-spectrometer methods, Neutron methods and Optical methods. Thus, it is possible to offer the following methodology of detection and identification of radioactive debris by using the specialized equipment: first, revealing in radius of an order of 100 km concerning an orbit presence of radioactive garbage by means of the gamma-detector, secondly, direction definition on the given object by means of a gamma- telescope. Presence as a part of equipment of the xenon gamma-spectrometer will allow to define approximate structure of radioactive debris, and, hence, to assume a source of its origin. As presence of neutron detectors, will allow to define precisely presence of nuclear installations onboard object. To identify a source as space object it is possible by means of onboard optical equipment. Potentially radioactive object defined thus is brought in the catalogue and transferred for regular optical monitoring from Earth. Prototypes of such equipment are created and are investigated in MIFI, Lebedev Physical Institute and NIIEM that allows to define with the big accuracy mass characteristics of the future onboard equipment as 50 - 100 kg. That with confidence it is possible to place as additional loading on S\V type "Meteor-M", "Meteor-MP".
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)