JP2010285137A - Space debris reducing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To protect an important orbit for a space craft by dropping any space debris on the earth or by changing the orbit of any space debris by a relatively inexpensive method while avoiding any high cost for reducing the space debris. <P>SOLUTION: An orbit of any space debris is lowered, or the orbit is changed by receiving a very small amount of atmospheric gas and solar radiation pressure by a circular or polygonal film, or a balloon or a structure of the air-mattress shaped structure capable of sealing the gas pressure. There is also provided a simple mounting mechanism therefor. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus used for reducing space debris.

  Since the launch of the first man-made satellite in 1957, a large number of space debris (referred to as used satellites and rockets drifting in space and their fragments) have existed around the earth.

  Space debris that exists in the universe with a surface altitude of several hundred to 40,000 km continues to travel around the earth for several tens of days to several million years, depending on its shape (ballistic coefficient) and altitude. Fall.

  About 100 to 200 years at an altitude of 800 km, about 1000 years at an altitude of 1,000 km, about 10,000 years at an altitude of 1500 km, about 1 million years at an altitude of 20,000 km, In 16,000 km), it takes several million years and falls to the earth.

  Space debris, which takes a long time to fall to the earth, increases the possibility of collision with other spacecraft in use (referred to as satellites and rockets before launch or in use) or space debris. The risk of a collision creating a large number of new space debris is further increased.

  As of 2008, it is said that there are about 13,000 to 19,000 space debris over 10cm.

  It is said that in February 2009, US satellites and Russian satellites collided in orbit, resulting in an increase of six hundred to seven hundred space debris.

  Reducing space debris requires a large amount of money, and therefore a method for reducing space debris as much as possible is desired.

  In order to reduce space debris, low-orbit spacecrafts use their propulsive force at the end of use to lower their orbits, resulting in being able to fall to the Earth in about 25 years, and stationary For spacecraft with satellite altitude, an international standard that protects other spacecraft in use at these altitudes by using its propulsive force at the end of use and raising or lowering this altitude by several hundred kilometers. The establishment of is being considered.

  In the United States, a method of decelerating a spacecraft using a balloon and lowering an orbit has been invented, and a patent (Patent No: US 6,830,222 B1, December 14, 2004) has been obtained. This patent uses the feature that a balloon will be installed in advance in a spacecraft to be launched in the future, and that it will be released and expanded into space after the spacecraft has been used, and that it will receive a small amount of air present in low-orbit space. There is a feature.

  In addition to the use of a small amount of air in the low orbit mentioned above, research on the use of solar radiation to increase the speed of spacecraft at inter-planetary movements, etc., is taking place at space agencies in major countries. It is out. In other words, the speed of the spacecraft can be changed by using the solar radiation pressure, and therefore the trajectory can be changed.

US Patent US 6,380,222 B1

  In order to make all the spacecrafts to be launched in the future fall on the earth at the end of use or depart from a predetermined orbit, not only the satellites but also the upper rockets for launching each have a control function. It is necessary to mount the propellant necessary for launching.

  However, it is difficult to provide all satellites, upper rockets, and the like with a control function necessary for changing orbits and to install necessary propellants. Even if the above countermeasures are taken, there are many satellites that have been used for over a decade or so, and it may be difficult to change the orbit due to a failure during this period. It will be left unattended.

  It is conceivable to launch a new spacecraft for space debris recovery, dock it to space debris, etc., drop the space debris using this spacecraft's control function or propellant, or change the orbit. Requires a lot of money.

  Therefore, according to the present invention, for space debris already in space, multiple inexpensive debris reduction devices are mounted on one spacecraft, and this device is attached to many space debris in one launch. It is intended to reduce space debris at low cost. As for spacecraft to be launched in the future, a space debris reduction device made of inexpensive materials will be installed in advance, and when the use is completed, this device will be released and deployed, and it will fall to the earth using the force that acts on it, or orbit It is to change.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention is a device constituted by a pressure receiving device made of a membrane material, a reinforcing member thereof, and a string, which is mounted on another spacecraft, and approaches and attaches to space debris. As a result, the pressure receiving device receives a small amount of air, and decelerates the low-orbit space debris to shorten the period until it falls to the earth. This device shall be foldable in order to improve the stowability upon launching. In addition, this device can be attached to the spacecraft that will be launched in the future in a folded state, and the device will be released and deployed at the end of use of the spacecraft, thereby shortening the period until the spacecraft falls to the earth. it can.

  The second invention consists of a pressure receiving device made of a membrane material as described above, and is used in a high orbit. By mounting this device on another spacecraft and approaching / attaching to a high orbit space debris, The device receives solar radiation pressure and accelerates or decelerates the space debris to change the orbit, resulting in the space debris leaving the orbit to be protected. This device is assumed to be foldable in order to ensure storage at the time of launch. In addition, this device is attached to the spacecraft to be launched in the future in a folded state, and when the device is used, the device is released and deployed, so that this spacecraft can be removed from the orbit to be protected. .

  The third invention is a device composed of a balloon and a string. This device is mounted on another spacecraft, and close to and attached to the space debris. It shortens the period until it slows down and falls to the earth. This device shall be foldable in order to improve the stowability upon launching. By attaching this device to a spacecraft to be launched in the future in a folded state, and releasing and deploying this device when it is finished in use, it is possible to shorten the period until this spacecraft falls to the earth. For others, patents (Patent No: US 6,830,222 B1, December 14, 2004) have already been obtained in the United States.

  The fourth invention uses a balloon in the same way as described above, but is used in a high orbit. By mounting this device on another spacecraft and approaching / attaching to a high-orbit space debris, the balloon is In response to the solar radiation pressure, the space debris is accelerated and decelerated to change the orbit, and as a result, the space debris is removed from the orbit to be protected. This device is assumed to be foldable in order to ensure storage at the time of launch.

  The fifth invention is a mechanism for attaching the apparatus of the first invention, the second invention, the third invention and the fourth invention to the space debris, mounted on another spacecraft, approaching the space debris, and outside the space debris. The pressure receiving device or balloon in a folded state is attached to the space debris via a string by driving “moly” into the part. The method of driving with a memory according to the present invention does not require the space debris and the spacecraft to be docked, and is easy.

  The sixth invention is another form of the fifth invention, which is a mechanism for mounting the devices of the first invention, the second invention, the third invention, and the fourth invention to the space debris. Attaching the pressure receiving device or balloon to the space debris through a string, approaching the debris, taking out the “clip” using the robot arm for operation, and holding the protrusion of the space debris. It is. The method of gripping with the clip according to the present invention does not require the space debris and the spacecraft to be docked, and is easy.

  Any of the first invention, the second invention, the third invention, and the fourth invention can be combined with the fifth invention or the sixth invention to cause the space debris to fall to the ground in as short a time as possible, or a trajectory important for the spacecraft. It is possible to reduce the space debris by detaching the space debris from the spacecraft, and to avoid collision with the spacecraft in use and the spacecraft to be launched in the future as much as possible.

1 shows one embodiment of the present invention. The other form of implementation of this invention is shown. The attachment mechanism required for the implementation of the present invention is shown, and a driving method using Mori is shown. A method of gripping the protrusion of space debris with a robot arm is shown. This shows how to install a space debris reduction device in advance on the spacecraft before launch. It is a conceptual diagram for making the orbit of space debris leave by receiving solar radiation pressure. The space debris 11 orbiting the orbit 810 to be protected receives radiation pressure from the sun 700 by the pressure receiving device 21, so that the space debris 11 accelerates at 1003 so as to decelerate at the passing point 1001 with respect to the traveling direction 820 of the space debris. Power works on space debris. As a result, at the position 1003, the space debris 11 lowers the altitude with respect to the earth, and at the position 1001, the altitude increases. As a result, the orbit 810 of the original space debris 11 changes to another orbit 900, and is protected. Depart from track 810 to be.

One embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
The pressure receiving device 21 is a film material made of a circle or a polygon, and is reinforced by a pressure receiving device reinforcing member 211 so that the expanded state can be maintained in outer space. A string 23 is attached to the pressure-receiving device reinforcing member 211, an attachment mechanism A31 shown in FIG. 3 or an attachment mechanism B32 shown in FIG. 4 is attached to one end of the string 23, and attached to the space debris 11 via these attachment mechanisms. Thereafter, the pressure receiving device 21 is deployed.

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.
The balloon 22 is a membrane material. One end of the balloon 22 is coupled with a string 23, and either one of the attachment mechanism A31 shown in FIG. 3 or the attachment mechanism B32 shown in FIG. 4 is attached to one end, and these attachment mechanisms are used. The balloon 22 is attached to the space debris 12, and then the gas is sealed in the balloon 22 and deployed. Instead of the balloon, it is also possible to use an air mat that can be filled with gas pressure.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a storage and attachment mechanism necessary for implementing the present invention.
This attachment mechanism A31 is a “moly driving method” for attaching the folded “pressure receiving device and string (stored state)” 51 or the folded balloon 22 to the space debris A11 via the string 23. The mounting mechanism A31 housed in the “mounting mechanism A housing / injection mechanism” 61 mounted on the spacecraft A14 is ejected, and the moire is driven into the outer portion of the space debris A11.

FIG. 4 shows another form of the storage and mounting mechanism necessary for the implementation of the present invention.
This attachment mechanism B32 is a “clip gripping method” for attaching the folded “pressure receiving device and string (stored state)” 51 or the folded balloon 22 to the space debris A13 via the string 23. Using the robot arm, the mounting mechanism B32 stored in the “pressure receiving device, string and mounting mechanism B storage device” 43 of the spacecraft B15 is taken out and folded by gripping the protrusion 131 of the space debris C13. Device and string (accommodated state) "51 or balloon 22 is attached to space debris B13 via string 23, and then pressure receiving device 21 or balloon 22 is deployed.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the storage and mounting mechanism necessary for carrying out the present invention.
This “attachment mechanism C” 33 is a “fixed attachment”, and the “pressure receiving device and string (storage state)” 51 or the balloon 22 is folded via the string 23 in a state of being folded into the “spacecraft C” 16 to be launched in the future. It is to be attached. At the end of use of the spacecraft C16, the "pressure receiving device and string (stored state)" 51 or the balloon 22 is pushed out and deployed.

11 Space Debris A
12 Space Debris B
13 Space Debris C
131 Space Debris C Protrusion 14 Spacecraft A
15 Spacecraft B
16 Spacecraft C
21 pressure receiving device 211 pressure receiving device reinforcing member 22 balloon 23 string 31 attachment mechanism A
32 Mounting mechanism B
33 Mounting mechanism C
41 Pressure receiving device and string storage device A
42 Pressure receiving device and string storage device B
43 pressure receiving device, string and attachment mechanism B storage device 51 pressure receiving device and string (storage state)
61 Mounting mechanism A storage / injection mechanism 62 Mounting mechanism B operation robot arm 700 Sun 710 Earth revolving orbit 800 Earth 810 Orbit before space debris orbital change 820 Space debris traveling direction 900 Orbit after space debris orbit change 1001 Space Debris passing point 1002 Space debris passing point 1003 Space debris passing point 1004 Space debris passing point

Claims (5)

  By constructing a pressure receiving device for receiving a small amount of atmospheric pressure and solar radiation pressure with a circular or polygonal membrane material, and attaching it to a space debris already surrounding the universe or a spacecraft to be launched in the future via a string A space debris reduction device that protects important orbits by dropping these space debris or spacecraft after use to the ground or changing orbits.   It has a balloon or air mat-like structure for receiving a very small amount of atmospheric pressure, and is attached to space debris already around the universe via a string. A space debris reduction device that is enlarged and protects important orbits by falling or changing the orbit of space debris on the ground.   It is composed of a balloon or air mat-like structure for receiving solar radiation pressure, and it is attached to a space debris already around the space or a spacecraft to be launched in the future via a string. The spacecraft to be launched in the future will be expanded by sealing the gas pressure at the end of use, increasing the pressure receiving area, and protecting the important orbits by space debris or dropping of the spacecraft to the ground after use or changing the orbit. Space debris reduction device characterized by   An attachment mechanism for attaching the device according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 to space debris, and a device using a moire driving method.   4. A clip gripping device that is attached by a robot arm in another form of an attachment mechanism for attaching the device of claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 to space debris.

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