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Target selection and comparison of mission design for space debris removal by DLR׳s advanced study group

van der Pas, Niels and Lousada, Joao and Terhes, Claudia and Bernabeu, Marc and Bauer, Waldemar (2014) Target selection and comparison of mission design for space debris removal by DLR׳s advanced study group. Acta Astronautica, 102, pp. 241-248. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.06.020. ISSN 0094-5765.

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0094576514002197

Abstract

Space debris is a growing problem. Models show that the Kessler syndrome, the exponential growth of debris due to collisions, has become unavoidable unless an active debris removal program is initiated. The debris population in LEO with inclination between 60° and 95° is considered as the most critical zone. In order to stabilize the debris population in orbit, especially in LEO, 5 to 10 objects will need to be removed every year. The unique circumstances of such a mission could require that several objects are removed with a single launch. This will require a mission to rendezvous with a multitude of objects orbiting on different altitudes, inclinations and planes. Removal models have assumed that the top priority targets will be removed first. However this will lead to a suboptimal mission design and increase the ΔV-budget. Since there is a multitude of targets to choose from, the targets can be selected for an optimal mission design. In order to select a group of targets for a removal mission the orbital parameters and political constraints should also be taken into account. Within this paper a number of the target selection criteria are presented. The possible mission targets and their order of retrieval is dependent on the mission architecture. A comparison between several global mission architectures is given. Under consideration are 3 global missions of which a number of parameters are varied. The first mission launches multiple separate deorbit kits. The second launches a mother craft with deorbit kits. The third launches an orbital tug which pulls the debris in a lower orbit, after which a deorbit kit performs the final deorbit burn. A RoM mass and cost comparison is presented. The research described in this paper has been conducted as part of an active debris removal study by the Advanced Study Group (ASG). The ASG is an interdisciplinary student group working at the DLR, analyzing existing technologies and developing new ideas into preliminary concepts.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/93753/
Document Type:Article
Additional Information:Supervisor: Waldemar Bauer waldemar.bauer@dlr.de
Title:Target selection and comparison of mission design for space debris removal by DLR׳s advanced study group
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iDORCID Put Code
van der Pas, NielsUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Lousada, JoaoOHB System AGUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Terhes, ClaudiaDelft University of TechnologyUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bernabeu, MarcInstituto Superior Técnico LisboaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bauer, WaldemarDLRhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7972-2721UNSPECIFIED
Date:21 June 2014
Journal or Publication Title:Acta Astronautica
Refereed publication:Yes
Open Access:No
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:Yes
In ISI Web of Science:Yes
Volume:102
DOI:10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.06.020
Page Range:pp. 241-248
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0094-5765
Status:Published
Keywords:Space debris; Active space debris removal; Mission design; Target selection; Cost estimation; Mission analysis
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport
HGF - Program:Space
HGF - Program Themes:Space System Technology
DLR - Research area:Raumfahrt
DLR - Program:R SY - Space System Technology
DLR - Research theme (Project):R - Aufbau und Aktualisierung eines DLR-Katalogs für Raumfahrtrückstande (Space Debris) (old)
Location: Bremen
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Space Systems > System Analysis Space Segment
Deposited By: Bauer, Waldemar
Deposited On:19 Dec 2014 11:18
Last Modified:06 Nov 2023 14:17

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