Innovative observing strategy and orbit determination for Low Earth Orbit Space Debris

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates through large-scale simulation that a network of advanced optical sensors can effectively catalog and track over 98% of space debris in LEO, supporting collision avoidance and debris monitoring.

Contribution

It introduces a novel observing strategy and orbit determination approach for space debris in LEO, validated by simulation, enhancing debris cataloging capabilities.

Findings

Over 98% debris cataloged in the 1100-2000 km perigee range.

Maintains catalog accuracy suitable for collision avoidance.

Detects catastrophic fragmentation events effectively.

Abstract

We present the results of a large scale simulation, reproducing the behavior of a data center for the build-up and maintenance of a complete catalog of space debris in the upper part of the low Earth orbits region (LEO). The purpose is to determine the performances of a network of advanced optical sensors, through the use of the newest orbit determination algorithms developed by the Department of Mathematics of Pisa (DM). Such a network has been proposed to ESA in the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) framework by Carlo Gavazzi Space SpA (CGS), Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF), DM, and Istituto di Scienza e Tecnologie dell'Informazione (ISTI-CNR). The conclusion is that it is possible to use a network of optical sensors to build up a catalog containing more than 98% of the objects with perigee height between 1100 and 2000 km, which would be observable by a reference radar system selected as comparison. It is also possible to maintain such a catalog within the accuracy requirements motivated by collision avoidance, and to detect catastrophic fragmentation events. However, such results depend upon specific assumptions on the sensor and on the software technologies.