Space Debris Manoeuvre with Adaptive Optics Using a Ground-based Telescope

Paper number

IAC-17,A6,6,3,x36982

Author

Dr. Doris Grosse, Australian National University, Australia

Coauthor

Dr. Francis Bennet, Australian National University, Australia

Coauthor

Dr. Francois Rigaut, Australian National University, Australia

Coauthor

Prof. Celine D'Orgeville, Australian National University, Australia

Coauthor

Mr. Matthew Bold, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Australia

Coauthor

Prof. Craig Smith, EOS Space Systems Pty Ltd, Australia

Coauthor

Dr. Ben Sheard, EOS Space Systems Pty Ltd, Australia

Year

2017

Abstract

To mitigate the risk of collisions of space debris in orbit, collision prevention measures need to be taken. The Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics of the Australian National University (ANU) has been developing adaptive optics systems for space situational awareness for several years. In 2014, the ANU became a research partner in the cooperative research centre for Space Environment Management, managed by the Space Environment Research Centre (SERC). 
One of the objectives of this cooperative research centre is to develop an active ground-based space debris manoeuvre system that is capable of altering the orbits of high-area-to-mass-ratio debris objects by means of photon pressure. A laser will be fed through a ground-based telescope run by another SERC partner, EOS Space Systems, at Mt Stromlo, Australia and will be focused onto the object in space. \\
In order to compensate for the distortions caused by the atmosphere, an adaptive optics system is currently being developed by the ANU. It will measure the atmospheric turbulence with the help of the return flux of a laser guide star through the telescope in the down link and simultaneously precondition the laser beam prior to the launch from the telescope through the uplink. As in conventional adaptive optics systems, the loop between wavefront measurement via the real time computer and the wavefront control needs to be closed for the system to work. Additionally, the system has to work particularly fast to be able to measure and compensate for atmospheric turbulence while tracking an object in lower Earth orbits. Due to the short tracking time for objects in these orbits, the adaptive optics system needs to be able to close the loop quite fast while at the same time communicating and coordinating with the guide star laser, the debris pushing laser and the telescope.\\
In this paper, we describe the final optical design of the Adaptive Optics system and discuss its functional and operational architecture in detail.

Abstract document

IAC-17,A6,6,3,x36982.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-17,A6,6,3,x36982.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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