Bianchi, C., Niccolai, L., Mengali, G. and Ceriotti, M. (2024) Preliminary design of a space debris removal mission in LEO using a solar sail. Advances in Space Research, 73(8), pp. 4254-4268. (doi: 10.1016/j.asr.2024.01.024)
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Abstract
This paper discusses a space debris removal mission in low Earth orbit in which, for a preliminary design, a solar sail is used as a chaser satellite to reach, capture and de-orbit a debris object. The sail, which exploits the solar radiation pressure as its main source of thrust, is subject to the effects of aerodynamic forces, Earth’s oblateness and eclipse occurrence. Locally-optimal laws are used to control the transfer with the aim of maximizing (or minimizing) the rate of change of a specific orbital element or a suitable combination of them, depending on the transfer phase. When blended control laws are used to target the debris, the optimal weighting factors are calculated with a genetic algorithm to assess the relative importance of each orbital element. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of locally-optimal laws in driving the sail towards the target even in the presence of the above-mentioned orbital perturbations. In a test-case scenario, a solar sail with a characteristic acceleration of 0.1mm/s2, departing from 550 km of altitude, is able to reach the debris orbit at 1200 km of height in less than 200 days with a good accuracy level. The same analysis has been repeated for a solar sail with performance characteristics similar to those of NASA’s planned Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) mission.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Solar sail, space debris, locally-optimal control laws. |
| Status: | Published |
| Refereed: | Yes |
| Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Ceriotti, Dr Matteo |
| Authors: | Bianchi, C., Niccolai, L., Mengali, G., and Ceriotti, M. |
| College/School: | College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Systems Power and Energy |
| Journal Name: | Advances in Space Research |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0273-1177 |
| ISSN (Online): | 1879-1948 |
| Published Online: | 18 January 2024 |
| Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2024 COSPAR |
| First Published: | First published in Advances in Space Research 73(8):4254-4268 |
| Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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