Chris Tuttle, Clearspace Today, Inc.; Darren McKnight, LeoLabs; Tim Maclay, ClearSpace
Keywords: debris removal, debris remediation,
Abstract:
Active debris removal (ADR) is a pragmatic, effective means to remediate the debris-generating potential in low Earth orbit (LEO). The debris-generating potential of resident space objects is a straightforward combination of the distribution and characteristics of massive derelict objects. However, the strategy to reduce this debris-generating potential is not so straightforward. Previous lists of statistically-most-concerning objects provide a good foundation of individual objects whose contribution to likely future catastrophic collision make them prime candidates for removal. However, the general load of debris-generating potential coupled with atmospheric drag effects for a given altitude and the individual characteristics of the ADR candidates (i.e., mass, tumble rate, inclination, and energetic sources on board) must all be considered when creating cost-effective ADR strategies. Analytic and empirical observations of the resident space population by LeoLabs are combined with the engineering conops of ClearSpace ADR solutions to generate an optimal ADR strategy for derelict objects deployed by the US Government as an exemplar. This same approach can be applied more widely to create optimal ADR strategies to address the global population of derelict objects in LEO.
Date of Conference: September 19-22, 2023
Track: Space Debris