Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5486292 | Advances in Space Research | 2017 | 16 Pages |
Abstract
Bombardment of orbital debris and micrometeoroids on active and inoperative satellites is becoming an increasing threat to space operations and has significant consequences on space missions. Concerns with orbital debris have led agencies to start developing debris removal missions and knowing a target's rotational parameters ahead of time is crucial to the eventual success of such a mission. A new method is proposed, enabling the inclusion of hypervelocity impacts into spacecraft attitude propagation models by considering the transfer of angular momentum from collisions as a stochastic jump process. Furthermore, the additional momentum transfer due to ejecta created during these hypervelocity impacts, an effect known as momentum enhancement, is considered. In order to assess the importance of collisions on attitude propagation, the developed model is applied to two pieces of space debris by using impact fluxes from ESA's Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference (MASTER) model.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Earth and Planetary Sciences
Space and Planetary Science
Authors
Luc B.M. Sagnières, Inna Sharf,