Manuel Schubert, Institute of Space Systems, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany; Christopher Kebschull, OKAPI:Orbits GmbH; Njord Eggen, OKAPI:Orbits GmbH; Simona Silvestri, Institute of Space Systems, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Germany
Keywords: Space Debris, Sensor Network Simulator, SSA, SDA, SST, Simulation
Abstract:
Ensuring the success of satellite missions and mitigating the risk of further in-orbit fragmentations requires an awareness of the space domain that can keep pace with the growing number of objects that have to be observed by sensors, such as telescopes, radars, or laser ranging stations. In this context, tools to analyze and simulate sensor networks to observe objects in Earth’s orbit can prove highly valuable. Recent activities at the Institute of Space Systems of the Technische Universität of Braunschweig are oriented towards an expansion of the Sensor Network Simulator (SNS) tool suite to support such analyses. Within this work, the current state of the SNS is presented, detailing the individual tools in the toolkit and their respective capabilities and limitations. Additionally, a selection of previous results is included to provide further insights into the functionalities of the single sub-tools and the spectrum of results that can be obtained. Finally, as an appropriate exemplary utilization, preliminary analyses regarding the support of proximity operations in orbit are shown. For this purpose, the growth of state uncertainties over time between precise orbit determination data of real satellites and the propagator used within the SNS is studied. The goal of these analyses is to determine relevant sensor network parameters and requirements that are needed for the support of proximity operations and the connected need for high state accuracies.
Date of Conference: September 19-22, 2023
Track: Conjunction/RPO