10.2514/6.2019-0522">
 

Orbital Debris Propagation in Solwind Anti-Satellite Event

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-7-2019

Abstract

Orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) creates potential damage to spacecraft via fragment impacts. In terms of collisions occurring at or near orbital velocities, orbiting debris is propagated in multiple directions upon impact, diffusing throughout a given orbital regime. As orbital debris diffuses through a regime, the debris objects can collide with other functioning spacecraft resulting in a likely catastrophic collision and breakup, thus producing more debris. The behavior of orbital debris is of concern due to the potential damage debris can cause to other spacecraft in a collision event. The behavior of debris produced in anti-satellite (ASAT) events is specifically of interest because of the increasing potential for space operations in a contested environments. One recorded scenario of ASAT-generated debris occurred with the destruction of the United States P78-1 (Solwind) satellite in a test performed by the United States in 1985. By modeling the Solwind event and analyzing available data, new insights can be gathered into the behavior of orbital debris produced in an ASAT event, as well as insight into the reentry dynamics of debris fragments. This research intends to model observed data from the Solwind event in order to: Determine the deviation of debris two-line element (TLE) data as a function of time, and to formulate baseline prediction models for aggregate fragment populations.

Comments

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Source Publication

AIAA Scitech 2019 Forum

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