NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) 20170000496: USA Space Debris Environment

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by  NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration
USA Space Debris Environment,
Operations, and Research Updates
J.-C. Liou, PhD
Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
U.S.A.
54th Session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee
Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, United Nations
30 January – 10 February 2017, Vienna
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Presentation Outline
• Earth Satellite Population
• Space Missions in 2014
• Satellite Fragmentations
• Collision Avoidance Maneuvers
• Satellite Reentries
• NASA CubeSat Study and SDS Development
2/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Evolution of the Cataloged Satellite Population
• According to the U.S. Satellite Catalog, the number of 10 cm and larger
objects in Earth orbit increased slightly in 2016.
18000
17000
Collision of Cosmos 2251 and Iridium 33
16000 Total Objects
15000
Fragmentation Debris
14000
Spacecraft Destruction of Fengyun-1C
13000
12000 Mission-related Debris
s
t 11000
c Rocket Bodies
e
j 10000
b
O
9000

f
o
8000
r
e
b 7000
m
u 6000
~1400 are operational
N
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7
5 5 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Year
3/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mass in Near-Earth Space Continued to Increase
• The material mass in Earth orbit continued to increase in 2016.
8
Total Objects
7
Spacecraft
6
Rocket Bodies
)
g
k Fragmentation Debris
f 5
o
Mission-related Debris
s
n
o
li 4
l
i
m
(

t
i
b 3
r
O

n
i

s 2
s
a
M
1
0
7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5 7 9 1 3 5
5 5 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Distribution of the Cataloged Objects, LEO-to-GEO
• The low Earth orbit (LEO, the region below 2000 km altitude) has the
highest concentration of the cataloged objects.
LEO to GEO (1 January 2017)
1.E‐07
1.E‐08
) Global Navigation Satellite Systems
3
m
k
/
o 1.E‐09
n
(

y
t
i
s 1.E‐10
n
e
D
LEO
l
a 1.E‐11
i
t
a
p
S
1.E‐12
Geosynchronous Earth Orbit
(GEO)
1.E‐13
0 10000 20000 30000 40000
Altitude (km)
5/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Distribution of the Cataloged Objects in LEO
• The LEO population is still heavily influenced by fragments from
Fengyun-1C (FY-1C), Iridium 33, and Cosmos 2251.
1 Janyary 2017 Catalog
5.0E‐08
All objects
4.5E‐08
FY‐1C + Iridium 33 + Cosmos 2251 fragments
4.0E‐08
)
3 FY‐1C fragments
m
3.5E‐08
k
/ Iridium 33 + Cosmos 2251 Fragments
o
n
3.0E‐08
(

y
t Fragments Fragments
i
s 2.5E‐08
n Cataloged Left
e
D
2.0E‐08 FY-1C 3438 2863

l
a
i
t Iridium 628 348
a 1.5E‐08
p
S
Cosmos 1668 1106
1.0E‐08
5.0E‐09
0.0E+00
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
Altitude (km)
6/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mass Distribution in LEO
• Mass distribution is dominated by rocket bodies and spacecraft.
The proposed mega-constellations, consisting of thousands of ~150-
kg-class spacecraft, will dramatically change the landscape in LEO.
Mass Distribution in LEO
350
300
n All
Bi
e Rocket Bodies (46% of All)
d
u 250
t Spacecraft (51% of All)
ti
Al
Others
m
k
0 200
5
r
e
p
n) 150
o
t
c
ri
t
e
m 100
(
s
s
a
M
50
0
200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Altitude (km)
ISS not included
7/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Worldwide Space Activity in 2016
• A total of 83 space launches placed more than 150 spacecraft into Earth
orbits during 2016, following the trend of increase over the past decade.
140
)
d
n
o
y 120
e
B

r
o
t  100
i
b
r
O

h
t 80
r
a
E
(

s
e
60
h
c
n
u
a
L 40

e
d
i
W
‐
d 20
l
r
o
W
0
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
8/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Satellite Fragmentations During 2016
• Twelve minor satellite fragmentations were detected by the U.S. Space
Surveillance Network during 2016. None of them contributed large
numbers of long-lived debris to the near-Earth environment.
Common International Perigee Apogee Detected
Cause
Name Designator Altitude (km) Altitude (km) Debris
Breeze-M R/B 2015-075B 33,484 35,730 6 Unknown
Astro-H (Hitomi) 2016-012A 566 580 10 Unknown
SOZ Ullage Motor 2008-067G 679 18,845 21 Propulsion
Molniya 1-93 2004-005A 77 2,145 13 Aerodynamic
SOZ Ullage Motor 2008-067H 728 18,801 30+ Propulsion
Beidou G2 2009-018A 35,384 36,137 2 Unknown
Worldview 2 2009-055A 765 767 9 Unknown
SOZ Ullage Motor 2006-062G 458 19,067 8 Propulsion
Sentinel-1A 2014-016A 695 697 7 Small debris impact
RISAT-1 2012-017A 535 544 16 Unknown
FY-1C fragment 1999-025KF 809 902 8 Unknown
DMSP 5D-2/F12 1994-057A 833 849 1 Unknown
9/14
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Robotic Spacecraft
Collision Avoidance Maneuvers
• Since 2007 NASA has required frequent satellite conjunction
assessments for all of its maneuverable spacecraft in LEO and
GEO to avoid accidental collisions with objects tracked by the
U.S. Space Surveillance Network.
• NASA also assists other U.S. government and foreign spacecraft
owners with conjunction assessments and subsequent maneuvers.
• During 2016 NASA executed or assisted in the execution of
20 collision avoidance maneuvers by robotic spacecraft.
– Four maneuvers were conducted to avoid debris from Fengyun-1C.
– Four maneuvers were conducted to avoid debris from the collision of
Cosmos 2251 and Iridium 33.
10/14