Fast Characterization Of In-Orbit Fragmentations
L. Gisolfi (TU Delft - Astrodynamics & Space Missions, Università di Padova, Università degli Studi di Padova)
F. Marzari (Università degli Studi di Padova)
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Abstract
Building on the definition of the Criticality of Spacecraft Index [1] and of the Shell Criticality [3], a procedure and an index able to quantify and visualize the medium term effects on the environment of a fragmentation in Low Earth Orbit is derived. The index takes into account the change in the environment caused by the fragmentation of a given mass in a specific orbit by quantifying the contribution of the fragments with respect to the original situation where the whole fragmented mass was contained in the intact objects. The index is devised in the frame of added-value SST services, such as the fragmentation detection and impact evaluation service. Thus, weighting factors are included in its formulation to highlight the contribution of the debris created in a given event, leveraged by the capabilities of a given observing network (either optical or radar). The index is applied and tested on a few simulated fragmentations. The results show that the index is able to characterize the perturbation to the environment due to the cloud of fragments and its temporal evolution. In particular, the new weighting factors are able to properly highlight the capability of a given SST network to observe and characterize a fragmentation happening in a Low Earth Orbit region.