Related papers: Removing Orbital Debris with Lasers
We present a high-power continuous-wave (CW) lunar laser ranging (LLR) technique that has the potential to significantly improve Earth--Moon distance measurements. Using a 1 kW CW laser at 1064 nm and a 1 m-aperture telescope as an example,…
The discovery of numerous debris disks around white dwarfs (WDs), gave rise to extensive study of such disks and their role in polluting WDs, but the formation and evolution of these disks is not yet well understood. Here we study the role…
The EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory) project is developing a new mission concept for the scientific research of Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) from space. The EUSO wide-field telescope will look down from space onto the…
Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations are emerging as a key enabler of next-generation communications, offering global coverage and significantly lower latency compared to traditional terrestrial networks and geostationary…
With the proliferated low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites in mega-constellations, the future Internet will be able to reach any place on Earth, providing high-quality services to everyone. However, high-quality operations in terms of…
The sustained increase of emissions of artificial light is causing a progressive brightening of the night sky in most of the world. This process represents a threat for the long-term sustainability of the scientific and educational activity…
In this work we explore a new dynamical path for the delivery of low-inclination comets. In a configuration formed by an interior giant planet and an exterior massive debris disk, where the mass is accounted for by the 50 largest objects in…
This paper presents a study for the realization of a space mission which employs nanosatellites driven by an external laser source impinging on an optimized lightsail, as a valuable technology to launch swarms of spacecrafts into the Solar…
Launch behaviors are a key determinant of the orbital environment. Physical and economic forces such as fragmentations and changing launch costs, or policies like post-mission disposal (PMD) compliance requirements, will alter the relative…
Dust storms may remarkably degrade the imaging quality of Martian orbiters and delay the progress of mapping the global topography and geomorphology. To address this issue, this paper presents an approach that reuses the image dehazing…
According to very recent developments of the LARES mission, which would be devoted to the measurement of the general relativistic Lense--Thirring effect in the gravitational field of the Earth with Satellite Laser Ranging, it seems that the…
Electrostatic charge dissipation is one of the major concerns for satellites operating in the Earth's orbits. Under energetic plasma conditions, they may acquire very high negative potential (up to 10's of kV) due to the collection of…
The application of directed energy to spacecraft mission design is explored using rapid transit to Mars as the design objective. An Earth-based laser array of unprecedented size (10~m diameter) and power (100~MW) is assumed to be enabled by…
Nighttime photographers are often troubled by light pollution of unwanted artificial lights. Artificial lights, after scattered by aerosols in the atmosphere, can inundate the starlight and degrade the quality of nighttime images, by…
The objective of this paper is to provide a pedagogical framework for the phenomenon of orbital decay of satellites in low Earth orbit. The dynamics of orbital decay are derived considering atmospheric drag as the only dissipative mechanism…
We present a procedure for determination of positions and orbital elements, and associated uncertainties, of outer Solar System planets. The orbit-fitting procedure is greatly streamlined compared to traditional methods because acceleration…
To deflect impact-trajectory of massive km^3 and spinning asteroid by a few terrestrial radius one need a large momentum exchange. The dragging of huge spinning bodies in space by external engine seems difficult or impossible. Our solution…
Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) is an established technique providing very accurate position measurements of satellites in Earth orbit. However, despite decades of development, it remains a complex and expensive technology, which impedes its…
Through multiple, small unmanned probes we can more efficiently capture an asteroid and return it to lunar orbit. The Asteroid Return and Exploration System (ARES) aims to make use of previously tested technology with the application of a…
We study spectrum sharing between two dense low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, an incumbent primary system and a secondary system that must respect interference protection constraints on the primary system. In particular, we…