Real-time Geosynchronous Collision Risk Management by using a Service Vehicle

摘要

Space Situational Awareness is defined as the knowledge and characterization of all aspects of space. SSA is now a fundamental and critical component of space operations. Increased dependence on our space assets has in turn led to a greater need for accurate, near real-time knowledge of all space activities. With the continued growth of the orbital debris population, high-risk conjunction events are occurring more often. Consequently, satellite operators are performing collision avoidance maneuvers more frequently. Since any type of maneuver expends fuel and reduces the operational lifetime of the spacecraft, using fuel to perform collision avoidance maneuvers often times leads to a difficult trade between sufficiently reducing the risk while satisfying the operational needs of the mission. Thus the need for new, more sophisticated collision avoidance methods must be implemented. This paper presents a concept of operations for improving operational collision risk management through use of service vehicle. Once a high-threat conjunction event has been identified, the servicing vehicle will collect additional tracking information to improve the orbital information for the conjunction event. If a collision avoidance maneuver is deemed to be necessary, the servicing vehicle will rendezvous and dock with the operational spacecraft, perform the avoidance maneuver, and then un-dock once the collision risk has been reduced.