Related papers: Satellite Safe Margin: Fast solutions for Conjunct…
To operate reactively in uncertain environments, robots need to be able to quickly estimate the risk that they will collide with their environment. This ability is important for both planning (to ensure that plans maintain acceptable levels…
Conjunction assessment requires knowledge of the uncertainty in the predicted orbit. Errors in the atmospheric density are a major source of error in the prediction of low Earth orbits. Therefore, accurate estimation of the density and…
This paper is related to our previous works [1][2] on the error estimate of the averaging technique, for systems with one fast angular variable. In the cited references, a general method (of mixed analytical and numerical type) has been…
Spacecraft collision avoidance procedures have become an essential part of satellite operations. Complex and constantly updated estimates of the collision risk between orbiting objects inform the various operators who can then plan risk…
The minimum orbital intersection distance is used as a measure to assess potential close approaches and collision risks between astronomical objects. Methods to calculate this quantity have been proposed in several previous publications.…
Conjunction analysis and maneuver planning for spacecraft collision avoidance remains a manual and time-consuming process, typically involving repeated forward simulations of hand-designed maneuvers. With the growing density of satellites…
Aerodynamic collision avoidance manoeuvres provide an opportunity for satellites in Low Earth Orbits to reduce the risk during close encounters. With rising numbers of satellites and objects in orbit, satellites experience close encounters…
The exponential increase in artificial satellites, growing from 852 in 2004 to over 9,000 in 2023, has intensified the risk of the Kessler Syndrome: a cascading chain reaction of orbital collisions. This paper analyzes the dynamics of space…
Satellite connectivity is gaining increased attention as the demand for seamless internet access, especially in transportation and remote areas, continues to grow. For fast-moving objects such as aircraft, vehicles, or trains, satellite…
Earth is constantly being bombarded with material from space. Most of the natural material end up being dust grains that litter the surface of Earth, but larger bodies are known to impact every few decades. The most recent large impact was…
In the effort to obtain low cost routine space debris observations in low Earth orbit, ESA plans to utilise the radar facilities of the European Incoherent Scatter Scientific Association. First demonstration measurements were performed from…
The computation of the Minimum Orbital Intersection Distance (MOID) is an old, but increasingly relevant problem. Fast and precise methods for MOID computation are needed to select potentially hazardous asteroids from a large catalogue. The…
When dealing with an orbit determination problem, uncertainties naturally arise from intrinsic errors related to observation devices and approximation models. Following the least squares method and applying approximation schemes such as the…
An analytical formulation for collision avoidance maneuvers involving a spacecraft and a space debris is presented, including solutions for the maximum deviation and minimum collision probability cases. Gauss' planetary equations and…
Typically we can deliver astrometric positions of natural satellites with errors in the 50-150 mas range. Apparent distances from mutual phenomena, have much smaller errors, less than 10 mas. However, this method can only be applied during…
This paper presents a unique approach to the problem of calculating revisit time metrics for different satellite orbits, sensor geometries, and constellation configurations with application to early lifecycle design and optimisation…
I show that for a substantial fraction of planets detected in a space-based survey, it would be possible to measure the planet and host masses and distances, if the survey satellite were placed in geosynchronous orbit. Such an orbit would…
Although interstellar dust extinction serves as a powerful distance estimator, the solar system's location within the Galactic plane complicates distance determinations, especially for molecular clouds (MCs) at varying distances along the…
Neglecting small fragments in space debris evolutionary models can lead to a significant underestimation of the collision risk for operational satellites. However, when scaling down to the millimeter range, the debris population grows to…
We present an algorithm to compute the minimum orbital intersection distance (MOID), or global minimum of the distance between the points lying on two Keplerian ellipses. This is achieved by finding all stationary points of the distance…