A. Horstmann, Institute of Space Systems – Technische Universitat Braunschweig, E. Stoll, Institute of Space Systems – Technische Universitat Braunschweig, H. Krag, Space Debris Office – ESA/ESOC
Keywords: MASTER, Space Debris, Modeling, Radar, Fengyun, Fragmentation,
Abstract:
This paper explains the validation phase within ESA’s Meteoroid And Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference (MASTER) model for the large object population in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) (diameter less than 1 cm). It answers three questions: 1) How is the MASTER population calibrated against observation results 2) Do recent fragmentation events affect the validation phase and 3) Does the space debris model represent reality suffciently? Since all on-orbit fragments are modeled event-based, one of the main calibration parameters for each fragmentation is the number of objects that are tracked by the Space Surveillance Network (SSN). However, to further calibrate the LEO population, radar surveys such as the Tracking and Imaging Radar (TIRA) Beam park experiments (Fraunhofer Institute/FHR, Germany) and European Incoherent SCATter Radar systems (EISCAT) observations (three radar systems in northern Scandinavia) are performed within dedicated observation campaigns. These space debris observation campaigns can detect objects in LEO down to 1 cm in diameter. For the validation, the observation campaigns are simulated with the Program for Radar and Optical Observation Forecasting (PROOF-2009) using the MASTER population. The results are compared against those from the observation campaigns.
Date of Conference: September 19-22, 2017
Track: Poster