Protecting the LEO space systems against small debris particles

Paper number

IAC-13,A6,4,7,x19078

Author

Mr. Claude Cougnet, EADS Astrium, France

Coauthor

Mrs. Laure Brooker Lizon-Tati, Airbus Defence and Space SAS, France

Coauthor

Mr. Matthieu David, EADS Astrium, Germany

Coauthor

Mr. Bernard Gergonne, EADS Astrium, France

Coauthor

Mr. Robin Putzar, Fraunhofer - Institute for High-Speed Dynamics, Germany

Coauthor

Dr. Hedley Stokes, PHS Space Ltd, United Kingdom

Coauthor

Mr. Paul Bourke, Tencate Advanced Armour, United Kingdom

Year

2013

Abstract

The presence of debris represents an increasing risk for the survivability of space assets in low Earth
orbit (LEO).
A European FP7 project, entitled ReVuS, aims to define design solutions that will reduce the
vulnerability of future LEO satellites to small- and medium-sized debris (typically 1mm to 5 cm).
Indeed, these debris cannot be tracked, but remain a significant threat.
An assessment of the vulnerability of current LEO satellites to these types of debris has been carried
out on two representative satellites. It has allowed to evaluate the failure probability for the entire
satellite, and to identify the critical areas and equipment on the satellites. It appears that the most
significant contribution to this probability of failure comes from the debris in the range 2 to 5mm.
Potential solutions to minimise the vulnerability of the satellite have been identified, both at system and
architecture levels.
The use of shielding protection is one of the main solutions at architecture level. The aim is to protect
the critical equipment, possibly the critical areas. However, different layouts of the critical equipment
can be considered, each having its own constraints. Thus, several shielding configurations have been
identified for each of these equipment. They are based on shielding bricks that have been defined in
the field of reinforced MLI, reinforced sandwich panel, reinforced equipment box and intermediate
layers. Successive steps of tests are being performed in order to evaluate at first the characteristics of
these shielding bricks and then the performances of a set of shielding configurations. The first step of
tests is now almost completed, allowing an evaluation of the various options of shielding bricks in each
field.
In parallel, other possible solutions at architecture level have been analysed.
An assessment of the proposed solutions is on-going, to evaluate their gain in terms of vulnerability,
but also their impacts on the satellite.
The paper will provide an overview of the results of the vulnerability analysis, of the selected solutions
and of the shielding aspects.

Abstract document

IAC-13,A6,4,7,x19078.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-13,A6,4,7,x19078.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.