The ELSA-d End-of-life Debris Removal Mission: Preparing for Launch
The ELSA-d End-of-life Debris Removal Mission: Preparing for Launch
复制标题
ELSA-d 报废碎片清除任务：准备发射
DOI：
--
复制
发表时间：
2019
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Andy Bradford
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Chris Blackerby;A. Okamoto;S. Iizuka;Yusuke Kobayashi;K. Fujimoto;Yukiji Seto;S. Fujita;T. Iwai;Nobu Okada;J. Forshaw;Andy Bradford
自空间时代开始以来，低地球轨道产生的碎片数量一直在稳步增加。Astroscale成立于2013年，其使命是为卫星运营商提供可靠且具有成本效益的航天器回收服务，以确保长期航天安全并实现轨道可持续性，造福子孙后代。Astroscale是世界上提议通过提供两种服务协助清除轨道碎片的少数公司之一：针对低地轨道星座的寿命终止服务和针对现有较大空间碎片的主动清除碎片服务。ELSA-d（天体尺度演示寿命终止服务）使命处于装配、集成和测试（AIT）阶段的后期，将于2020年初发射。ELSA-d将通过发射一颗连接到一颗小型客户卫星上的服务卫星来演示交会和邻近操作（RPO）技术，然后该卫星将在轨道上反复分离和对接。服务器配备了交会制导、导航和控制（GNC）技术和磁性对接机制，而客户端则有一个对接板（DP），使其能够被捕获。本文件首先将概述作战概念的每个阶段。虽然现有的空间任务已经手动或半自动地与合作客户进行了会合，但ELSA-d将展示非翻滚和翻滚客户的半自动捕获;后者在空间环境中是新颖的。ELSA-d还将展示客户端搜索和检查功能，验证关键的RPO功能，如被动安全轨迹和绝对到相对导航切换。本文还概述了一般使命设计，包括能力和技术，地面部分，和使命生产的项目进展，通过AIT和Astroscale最终确定其即将推出的车辆的元素。ELSA-d使命有望成为证明适用于未来碎片清除服务的RPO能力的一个重大步骤。
Since the beginning of the space era, the amount of debris generated in low Earth orbit has been steadily increasing. Founded in 2013, Astroscale’s mission is to provide reliable and cost-efficient spacecraft retrieval services to satellite operators in order to secure long-term spaceflight safety and achieve orbital sustainability for the benefit of future generations. Astroscale is one of the few com-panies in the world proposing to aid in the removal of orbital debris through the provision of two services: end-of-life (EOL) targeting the LEO constellations, and active debris removal (ADR) targeting existing larger space debris. The ELSA-d (End of Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration) mission is late in its assembly, integration and test (AIT) stages and due to launch in the early 2020 timeframe. ELSA-d will demonstrate technologies for rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) by launching a servicer satellite attached to a small client satellite, which will then repeatedly separate and dock in orbit. The servicer is equipped with rendezvous guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) technologies and a magnetic docking mechanism, whereas the client has a docking plate (DP) which enables it to be captured. This paper will initially provide an overview of each phase of the concept of operations (CONOPS). Whereas existing space missions have performed rendezvous with cooperative clients either manually or semi-autonomously, ELSA-d will demonstrate semi-autonomous capture of both non-tumbling and tumbling clients; the latter being novel in the space environment. ELSA-d will also demonstrate client search and inspection capabilities validating key RPO capabilities such as passively safe trajectories and absolute-to-relative navigation handover. The paper also provides an overview of the general mission design, including capabilities and technologies, ground segment, and elements of mission production as the project progresses through AIT and Astroscale finalizes the vehicle for its upcoming launch. The ELSA-d mission promises to be a major step forward in demonstrating RPO capabilities applicable to future debris removal services.