U. Voelker, I. Buske, W. Riede, J. Speiser, A. Giesen

The demands of the modern society need an increased and reliable global access to outer space. Satellitebased navigation applications, for instance, require adequate data-supply. Weather and climate observations ask for satellites, which monitor cloud coverage and wind speeds as well as the thickness and coverage of polar ice caps. However, such augmented use of orbital satellites is jeopardized by a continuous growth of so called space debris. According to ESA [1], the term space debris denotes "all non-functional, man-made objects, including fragments and elements thereof, in Earth orbit or re-entering into the Earth atmosphere". Thus, space debris - also known as space junk - consists of payloads, rocket bodies and other mission-related objects ranging from sizes of mm to m. The number of tracked debris objects has grown significantly over the last decades. A contributing factor to the growth of the space debris population is the steady rise of rocket launches for LEO and GEO missions. Additionally to increased use of space, the Chinese anti-satellite missile test in 2007 and the 2009 satellite collision (Iridium 33 vs. Kosmos-2251, 789 km above the Taymyr Peninsula in Siberia) increased the debris density dramatically. Such events are not the only source of the increasing amount of debris objects. Collisions of debris itself create an additional quantity of space junk, which is, due to ist huge momentum, severely hazardous to space missions. For these reasons, space faring nations seek to diminish the number of debris objects. The first step on this intention is the detection and tracking of such elements - or in other words the surveillance of space. Hence, space situational awareness (SSA) has become the generic term for the monitoring of space, addressing space debris, space weather phenomena and potential impacts of Near Earth Objects (NEOs). In this paper, the laser-based SSA concept of the Institute of Technical Physics of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is introduced. In this concept passive optical detection methods are combined with pulsed laser techniques allowing for precise distance measurements and orbit data determination.

Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress 2010

Conference Paper

englisch

21,0 x 29,7 cm, 6 Seiten

Deutscher Luft- und Raumfahrtkongress Tagungsband - Manuskripte, 2010, 2010, ; S.1285-1290; 2010; Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt - Lilienthal-Oberth e.V., Bonn

NA

weltraumschrott, monitoring

Bestellbar

2010