Risks of Secondary Space Debris Generation from Net Capturing in Active Space Debris Removal Missions

Mitigation strategies which eliminate existing space debris, such as with Active Space Debris Removal (ASDR) missions, are now more important than ever regarding the ever-growing space debris population problem. One of the considered ASDR approaches uses a net as a capturing strategy. The benefits of such strategy are to allow for a large...

On the Uncertainty of Space Debris Trajectory Predictions

The goal of the research is to improve space situational awareness (SSA) for space debris objects, and to make space operations more sustainable and remain possible in the future. Vital to this awareness is understanding which objects are present, through space surveillance and tracking (SST), and where these objects will be in the future,...

IN-situ Debris Inventorisation near the Geostationary Orbit (INDIGO): a feasibility study

Recent launches of satellite constellations in the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) region have increased the collision probability of existing debris objects with active satellites. Monitoring the trajectories of these debris objects is crucial for Space Situational Awareness (SSA) to prevent the creation of more debris due to unwanted collisions. Much...

Collision Avoidance with Collaboration between Operators

Space debris has become a rising problem in the aerospace community, leading to the need for effective spacecraft collision avoidance processes. Currently, these processes can be called unilateral as only one object in conjunction is considered maneuverable. This thesis focuses on the implementation of a combined action approach to collision...

Graveyard orbits for future Mars missions

Mars is expected to become a focal point of exploration (human and robotic) in the coming century, with a very likely need for a robust space infrastructure. Be it communication and navigation satellite constellations or scientific missions in low Mars orbits (LMO) and Areosynchronous orbits (ASO), every individual satellite will have a...

Momentum Transfer due to Hypervelocity Impacts into Spacecraft Solar Arrays

Spacecraft are under constant threat from hypervelocity impacts by micrometeoroids and space debris. Due to their large surface area and hence increased probability of being impacted by debris, solar arrays are of particular concern. For larger, trackable debris objects, collision avoidance manoeuvres can be performed so as the minimise the...

Collision Probability through Orbital Uncertainty Propagation: The Hybrid Differential Algebra and Gaussian Mixture Model Approach

The number of space objects has largely increased in the recent years, becoming a considerable threat to the present and future of satellite operations and human spaceflight. This introduces a need to accurately compute the risk of collision between satellites and space debris. Current methodologies are limited by the type of encounter and the...

Sun-synchronous spacecraft compliance with international space debris guidelines

Due to ever increasing accessibility, recent years have seen a fast growing number of launches to space, especially to Sun-synchronous orbit. The spent rocket parts, and eventually non-functioning payloads of these launches remain in orbit. It is well established that this accumulation of space debris over time is quickly making this the most...

Ariane 5 GTO debris mitigation using natural perturbations

GTO objects can potentially collide with operative satellites in LEO and GEO protected regions. Internationally accepted debris mitigation guidelines require that these objects exit these protected regions within 25 years, e.g. by re-entering and burning up in Earth's atmosphere. In this paper, an inventory of the GTO debris generated from...

Multibody Approach to Controlled Removal of Large Space Debris with Flexible Appendages

The space environment is ever-changing with space structures getting larger and the orbits getting increasingly crowded with time. This creates a need for removal of large defunct satellites to avoid the disastrous Kessler syndrome, which poses a major threat to the future of space exploration. This research examines the dynamics and control...