Orbital debris : a technical assessment / Committee on Space Debris, Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Space Debris.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Space debris.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (224 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1995.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Since the beginning of space flight, the collision hazard in Earth orbit has increased as the number of artificial objects orbiting the Earth has grown. Spacecraft performing communications, navigation, scientific, and other missions now share Earth orbit with spent rocket bodies, nonfunctional spacecraft, fragments from spacecraft breakups, and other debris created as a byproduct of space operations. Orbital Debris examines the methods we can use to characterize orbital debris, estimates the magnitude of the debris population, and assesses the hazard that this population poses to spacecraft. Potential methods to protect spacecraft are explored. The report also takes a close look at the projected future growth in the debris population and evaluates approaches to reducing that growth. Orbital Debris offers clear recommendations for targeted research on the debris population, for methods to improve the protection of spacecraft, on methods to reduce the creation of debris in the future, and much more.

Contents:

ORBITAL DEBRIS

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

CHARACTERISING THE DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT

HAZARD TO SPACE OPERATIONS FROM DEBRIS

DESIGNING FOR THE DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT

REDUCING THE FUTURE DEBRIS HAZARD

Introduction

BACKGROUND REFERENCES

1 Space Operations and theSpace Environment

SPACE OPERATIONS

TYPES OF ORBITAL DEBRIS

Nonfunctionally Spacecraft

Rocket Bodies

Mission-Related Debris

Fragmentation Debris

PERTURBATION FORCES AFFECTING SPACE OBJECTS

FINDING

REFERENCES

2 Methods for Characterization

TRACKING AND CATALOGING ORBITAL DEBRIS

Current Capabilities

Improving Tracking and Cataloging Capabilities

SAMPLING ORBITAL DEBRIS

Remote Sampling from Earth

Optical Sensors

Radar Sampling

Remote Sampling from Orbit

Impact Sampling

Passive Measurements

Active Measurements

Extending the Range of In Situ Detectors

STRATEGIES TO MEASURE THE DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT

MODELING ORBITAL DEBRIS

Population Characterization Models

Models of the Future Debris Population

Traffic Modeling

Breakup Models

Propagation Models

FINDINGS

REFRENCES

3 Debris Population Distribution

LARGE DEBRIS

MEDIUM-SIZED DERBIS

SMALL DEBRIS

4 Hazards to Space Operations from Debris

CHANCE OF DEBRIS IMPACT

Low Earth Orbit

High Earth Orbits

EFFECTS OF DEBRIS IMPACT

Impact Conditions

Breakups Due to Debris Impact

Structural and Component Damage Caused by the Impact of Debris

Surface Degradation Caused by the Impact of Debris

5 Tools for Damage Assessment and Prediction

GROUND-BASED HYPERVELOCITY TESTING

Hypervelocity Test Capabilities

Sharing Hypervelocity Impact Information

ANALYTICAL AND NUMERICAL MODELING OF DEBRIS IMPACTS.

LIMITATIONS IN DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND PREDICTION CAPABILITIES

6 Designing for the Debris Environment

DETERMINING THE HAZARD FROM DEBRIS

DAMAGE PROTECTION TECHNIQUES

Passive Protection

Active Protection

Operational Protection

7 Techniques to Reduce the Future Debris Hazard

MINIMIZING THE REALEASE OF MISSION-RELATED OBJECTS

SAFEGUARDING THE PHYSICAL INTEGRITY OF ROCKET BODIES AND SPACECRAFT

Reducing the Creation of Debris from Explosions

Passivation of Spacecraft

Passivation of Rocket Bodies

Reducing the Creation of Debris from Degradation

REDUCING THE CREATION OF DEBRIS FROM COLLISIONS

Deorbiting/Lifetime Reduction

Disposal Orbits

Active In-Orbit Debris Removal

8 The Future Orbital Population and the Effectiveness Of Debris ReductionMeasures

THE FUTURE ORBITAL POPULATION

Uncertainties in the Models

Predictions of the Future Orbital Environment

EFFECTIVENESS OF DEBRIS REDUCTION MEASURES

9 Recommendations

IMPROVING KNOWLEDGE OF THE DEBRIS ENVIRONMENT

IMPROVING SPACECRAFT PROTECTION AGAINST DEBRIS

APPENDIXES

A Space Law and Orbital Debris

United Nations (UN) Treaties

Activities That May Influence Future Orbital Debris Regulations

International Law Association (ILA)

Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)

International Astronautical Academy (IAA)

National and Regional Policies on Orbital Debris

B Workshop on Space Debris

Invited Participants

Observers and Liaisons

List of Acronyms

Unit Conversions

Glossary

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786610211050

9780309176804

0309176808

9781280211058

1280211059

9780309587167

0309587166

9780585025179

0585025177

OCLC:

42329127