RU2703056C1 - Space debris spacecraft - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: space equipment.SUBSTANCE: invention relates to space engineering, particularly, to space garbage collection equipment. Space debris consists of unsealed housing, mid-flight liquid-propellant engine, orientation and docking system with low-thrust propulsion system, power supply system and flight control system. Device is equipped with on-board special complex including robot-manipulator for space debris capture and retention, container with solid-propellant rocket engines unit, robot manipulator for unloading solid propellant from rocket engine container and their fixation on space debris surface. Besides, there is a space debris telescopic damper with a set of elastic-flexible fibers located on the extending part of the damper-diverter, digital television radio line, which includes video camera units, data transmission antennae and receiving commands from flight control center, onboard special complex control system.EFFECT: higher efficiency of spacecraft when cleaning space debris.3 cl, 3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to space technology and can be used for cleaning space debris.

As of 2012, 16,000 objects over 10 cm in size were recorded in orbits around the Earth (10 cm is the size of space objects reliably accompanied by ground-based observation devices). In 2015, the total number of cataloged space objects of technogenic origin located in outer space amounted to 17,250 units, in 2017 there were about 29,000. The number of smaller fragments can be estimated only by mathematical modeling. The current estimate of ESA is approximately 750 thousand objects larger than 1 cm and over 166 million larger than 1 mm. All of them pose a serious danger to the operation of existing satellites and manned ships. A fragment no larger than a paperclip that runs across the International Space Station (ISS) can not only disable working equipment, but also lead to depressurization of residential compartments.

To date, the only possible way to avoid a collision with cataloged space debris (CM) is a maneuver of evasion, which entails unforeseen fuel costs with a corresponding reduction in the life of spacecraft (SC), a possible disruption of the flight program and the ensuing problems. However, the avoidance of automatic spacecraft from a collision with space debris is possible for those that are equipped with onboard corrective propulsion systems.

In this situation, one of the most important areas for ensuring the safety of space flights is the development of methods and means of protecting spacecraft from the effects of CM, the development and implementation of measures aimed at reducing the debris of near-Earth space (OKP).

A known analogue is a reusable spacecraft-tug for cleaning large-sized “space debris” (RF patent 2536297, published December 20, 2014), comprising a housing, an instrument compartment with a control system, a propulsion system, solar panels, a homing head, several remote sensing devices for “space” debris ”, and that each capture device is made in the form of a space spear placed in a glass with plumage and a piston and mounted on the tug spacecraft’s body, while in the bottom of the stack On the other hand, a powder engine was installed, equipped with a double-bridge igniter for igniting it, and a pneumatic valve was installed outside the glass of the capture device to supply compressed gas inside the glass.

Signs of an analogue that coincide with the features of the invention: a spacecraft for cleaning space debris, consisting of a hull, a propulsion system, an orientation system and a mooring system with a thruster, a power supply system based on solar panels, a flight control system.

A known method of withdrawal from the working orbit of spacecraft that have worked out their life, and their destruction proposed by the engineers of the American corporation Global Aerospace. According to their calculations, a large balloon fixed in the folded state on board the satellite can become the optimal solution. When the satellite for some reason stops the active functioning of the ball should be filled with helium (or other gas). A large shell will create a measurable aerodynamic drag even in rarefied atmospheric residues. Such a ball with a diameter of 37 meters in just a year is able to take a satellite weighing 1.2 tons from a working orbit with a height of about 800 kilometers, and ensure its combustion in the atmosphere. Under natural conditions, the satellite’s braking process can take more than one century.

Based on such principles, a solar space debris cleaner developed by British engineers is of interest.

A small solar sail could not only provide small satellites with free traction during the fulfillment of the main mission, but also reduce the devices that have exhausted their life from orbit. The CubeSail nanosatellite is called to test this idea in practice. The main developer of the device is Surrey Satellite Technology, the project partners are the Surrey Space Center, as well as the European aerospace giant EADS Astrium, which provided funding. CubeSail spacecraft should enter a polar orbit with a height of 700 kilometers, after which a square sail of a thin polymer film with an area of 25 square meters should be deployed on it. The sail is capable of shifting relative to the satellite in two directions. This will make it possible to change the relative position of the center of mass of the vehicle and the sail. Small magnets will be involved that will interact with the Earth’s magnetic field.

At the beginning of the CubeSail mission, the sail will be used as a mover capable of changing the parameters of the orbit of the vehicle. At the end of the satellite’s functioning, the sail control will be adjusted so that it slows down the satellite. In addition to “solar traction,” this should be facilitated by the relatively high resistance of the atmosphere, traces of which are present even at such altitudes.

The authors of the technology suggest that such devices can become standard equipment for new satellites weighing up to 500 kg. They would deploy the sail and act as a braking system at the end of their service life, thereby reducing the amount of debris in the near-Earth space.

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne is developing the CleanSpaceOne Robot Cleaner project (http://www.membrana.ru/particles/tag/542). This is a small satellite that must find a piece of space debris, capture it, and then take a course with it into the dense layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, where they must both burn out. CleanSpaceOne was scheduled to launch in 2018.

However, many scientists are skeptical of this project. This is due to the fact that the development of the CleanSpaceOne satellite will cost almost 8 million euros, and with its help it will be possible to utilize only one piece of space debris - the decommissioned SwissCube nanosatellite.

On the other hand, missions like CleanSpace One are important and correct. With their help, it will be possible to destroy at least the largest debris, but it is not possible to solve the entire problem of space debris. For these purposes, completely new ideas and other technical solutions are needed.

Airbus is testing a harpoon designed specifically to catch failed satellites and space debris (see “AIRBUS began testing a space harpoon to collect debris in Earth orbit,” TASS, Moscow, March 16, 2018).

As conceived by the designers, a "shell", which is a metal harpoon one meter long, will be equipped with a special spacecraft that will be able to catch up with the satellite. After approaching with a target, a harpoon attached to its carrier with a strong cable will have to “catch” this target and fix it. The whole process ends with the device dragging a satellite or some other space debris back into the atmosphere, where it burns down with them.

Currently, developers are testing a pneumatic harpoon in the British city of Stevenage in the county of Hertfordshire, shooting them at metal sheets with a honeycomb core 3 cm thick (durable material used in the construction of spacecraft). “Our harpoon goes through these sheets like a hot knife through butter,” said BBC one of the testers Alester Weiman. According to him, the harpoon has special automated spikes that open when it hits the target and help to fix it tightly.

The developers hope to experience a miniature version of their invention in space. To do this, they are going to send a mini-harpoon into orbit along with another device, also developed by Airbus to combat space debris, called RemoveDebris. This device is made in the form of a cube, the size of a washing machine, which is equipped with special mechanical tools for searching and "pushing" space debris from orbit, as well as failed artificial satellites.

It is planned to send RemoveDebris to the ISS, where it will be assembled by astronauts. Then the device together with the harpoon will be tested in outer space. After testing, RemoveDebris will enter the Earth’s atmosphere and completely burn. According to scientists, this is done so that their device itself does not turn into space debris.

15 млн ($20 млн) положит начало более масштабной деятельности по очистке земной орбиты от космического мусора.The creators hope that their project is worth

15 million ($ 20 million) will mark the beginning of a larger-scale activity to clean the Earth's orbit from space debris.

According to the results of the patent search, it seems appropriate to note 5 more interesting technical solutions that can solve the problem of space pollution of the orbit.

1. The DeOrbit mission, which was proposed in early 2014. It is proposed to search for debris in polar orbit at an altitude of 800 km to 1000 km. The European Space Agency is developing several types of “capture mechanisms” to pick up debris, such as nets, harpoons, robotic limbs and tentacles.

2. The Japanese aerospace agency proposes the use of electrodynamic seine, which could slow down the speed of satellites or space debris. Slowing the speed would allow satellites to reduce orbit and burn out in the Earth’s atmosphere.

3. The method, which was called Space Debris Elimination (air explosions), will launch satellites into low orbit using air explosions in the atmosphere. By design, a balloon or an aircraft capable of flying in a rarefied atmosphere, which will create air explosions sufficient to lead low-orbit space debris out of the way.

4. A network of nanosatellites connected by an electrical network of 3 km in length can knock down satellites as they pass through the Earth’s magnetic field (since voltage arises). Solar-powered Electro Dynamic Debris Eliminator proposed by Star Technology and Research (headquartered in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) can relieve all of its large debris in low Earth orbit in ten years. The idea required significant financial resources and was not implemented.

5. The plan, patented by Launch space Technologies, involves sending special “harvesters” the size of a football field called the Debris Collection Units (DCU) to the equatorial orbit. It is these “garbage collection units” that will disassemble the “orbital trash”. Debris Impact Pads, devices the company offers to display in the most popular orbits. They will collect small debris, while avoiding collisions with satellites and large fragments there. The plan also provides for the creation of serving satellites, the task of which will be to move between the orbits of the "combines" themselves. The group proposed by the company can be supplemented by the Orbital Servicing and Remanufacturing Facility, where the replacement panels will be repaired or processed into any other products. Technical Director at Launchspace Technology acknowledges that the entire space debris removal system will cost “tens of billions of dollars,” adding that inaction and loss of access to key orbits will “cost trillions.”

Airbus's RemoveDebris spacecraft and the CleanSpaceOne robot cleaner are similar to the invention.

The principal disadvantage of these devices is their one-time use (one KA cleaner - one KM object).

The prototype of the invention is a reusable spacecraft-tug for cleaning space debris (RF patent 2510359, published 03/27/2014). This is a reusable space vehicle-tug for cleaning space debris, containing a housing, an instrument compartment with a control system, a propulsion system, solar panels, a homing head, several devices for remote capture of space debris, characterized in that the basis of each capture device is a space harpoon, which together with the plumage and the powder engine is placed in a glass mounted on a removable lid of the container, while the powder engine is in contact with a 2-bridge squib, and in the bottom part of the space harpoon there is a cable fixed, the main part of which is wound on a drum installed inside the container, outside of which a drum electric drive and a casing are installed coaxially with the drum to protect the space harpoon and plumage from mechanical stresses at all stages of operation of a reusable spacecraft - a tugboat.

The features of the prototype coinciding with the features of the invention: a spacecraft for cleaning space debris, consisting of an unpressurized hull, a marching liquid rocket engine, an orientation and landing system with a thrust propulsion system, an energy supply system based on solar panels, a flight control system.

The analogue and prototype have a number of significant drawbacks that reduce the effectiveness of their use for cleaning outer space from CM.

In my opinion, the most important drawback is that after capturing and maintaining the contact of the KA-tug and KM, the ballistic maneuver to transfer the ligament (KA-tug + KM) to the flight path to the Earth or to the orbit of the burial is carried out using a spacecraft propulsion system tugboat. In this case, the reserves of fuel components aboard the spacecraft tug will be sharply reduced, which significantly limits the active life of the spacecraft tug. The increased consumption of fuel components is due to the fact that the inter-orbital ligament junction (KA-tug + KM) does not efficiently consume fuel to move the KA tug itself.

In addition, it is doubtful the possibility of using an analogue and a prototype to capture a CM, randomly rotating relative to its own center of mass. A cable mounted on a harpoon, after capturing a randomly rotating KM, wraps around the KM and leads to an uncontrolled movement of the KA tug. As a result, the KM collides with the KA tug and the latter fails, possibly with the advent of additional KM fragments.

There is also doubt about the possibility of autonomous functioning of the spacecraft tug when performing operations of approaching the CM, its capture with the help of a harpoon, the formation of the flight mission of the ligament (spacecraft-tug + KM) with an unknown mass of the KM on the flight path to the Earth or in the orbit of the disposal. Based on the description of the prototype on board the spacecraft tug for these purposes there is only a "homing head".

The objective of the invention is to increase the efficiency of disposal of space debris.

The technical result of the invention is the provision of utilization of observable ground-based man-made space debris of arbitrary geometric dimensions, arbitrary mass, randomly rotating relative to its own center of mass.

The objective of the invention is achieved in that the spacecraft for cleaning space debris consists of an unpressurized hull, a marching liquid rocket engine, an orientation and mooring system with a thruster, a power supply system based on solar panels, a flight control system, and differs from the prototype that it is equipped with an onboard special complex, which includes a robotic arm for capturing and holding space debris, a container with a rocket engine block is solid fuel, a robotic arm for unloading solid propellant rocket engines from a container and securing them on the surface of space debris, a telescopic damper-damper for space debris with a set of resiliently flexible fibers located on the extendable part of the damper-damper, a digital television radio line that includes blocks of video cameras antennas for transmitting data and receiving commands from the flight control center, an onboard special complex control system, including command issuing functions to provide the required ranstvennoy debris orientation and inclusion of solid fuel rocket motors.

A general view of the spacecraft for cleaning space debris and the main stages of its interaction with the CM are presented in FIG. 1-3.

In FIG. Figure 1 shows a spacecraft for cleaning space debris in preparation for capturing a freely rotating CM.

In FIG. Figure 2 shows the spacecraft from the side of the marching liquid rocket engine with open solar panels.

In FIG. Figure 3 shows the spacecraft for cleaning the KM in the state of holding the KM.

In the figures, the following elements are indicated:

1 - spacecraft body;

2 - nozzle marching liquid rocket engine;

3 - nozzle propulsion system low thrust orientation and mooring systems;

4 - fuel tanks of a marching liquid propellant rocket engine and a thrust propulsion system;

5 - a container with a block of rocket engines of solid fuel;

6 - robot manipulator for capturing and holding KM;

7 - a robotic arm for unloading solid propellant rocket engines from a container and securing them on the surface of the CM;

8 - telescopic damper-damper;

9 - a set of elastic flexible fibers;

10 - blocks of video cameras;

11 - antenna on-board special complex;

12 - solar panels;

13 - rocket engine of solid fuel;

14 - device for capturing and holding rocket engines of solid fuel (a similar device for capturing and holding KM is installed on the robot manipulator 6);

15 - space debris.

In FIG. Figure 1 shows a spacecraft for cleaning space debris in preparation for capturing a freely rotating CM with an extended telescopic damper-damper and a set of resiliently flexible fibers in the working position.

In FIG. Figure 2 shows the spacecraft from the side of a marching liquid rocket engine with open solar cells in a state without orientation to the Sun after opening.

In FIG. Figure 3 shows the spacecraft for cleaning the KM in the state of holding the KM by the device 14 located on the robotic arm 6 and installing rocket engines of solid fuel 13 on the surface of the KM using the robotic arm 7 and the device for capturing and holding 14. The fastening of the rocket engines (the required number is determined by the Center spacecraft flight control taking into account the mass of the CM and the value of the impulse of the characteristic speed required to transfer the CM to the trajectory of descent into the Earth’s atmosphere, or to the orbit of burial) There are various ways. In addition to mechanical joints, the use of two-component polymer adhesives is among the most developed and used on the ISS. In FIG. 3 shows a telescopic damper-damper in the folded (transport) position.

SC for cleaning KM operates as follows.

The spacecraft for cleaning the CM is launched by the launch vehicle into the orbit of the observed CM. After the withdrawal, all the onboard and service systems of the spacecraft (onboard special complex) are brought into working condition, the digital television radio line receives and broadcasts the commands of the flight control center (MCC) of the spacecraft.

According to the commands of the control center, the spacecraft converges with the CM, if necessary, provides damping of the speed of rotation of the CM relative to its own center of mass. For these purposes, the telescopic damper-damper (8) with a set of elastic-flexible fibers (9) is advanced towards the CM (15) in such a way as to ensure contact of the latter (flexible fibers with CM). The interaction is carried out until complete relaxation of the CM (elimination of rotation of the CM). The strength of the interaction of flexible fibers with CM is carried out by varying the length of the telescopic damper-damper (8) and using the low-thrust engines of the orientation and mooring system (3). The interaction of the spacecraft with the CM is controlled using video cameras (10).

After eliminating the disordered rotation of the CM, the telescopic damper-damper (8) with a set of elastic-flexible fibers (9) is brought into the transport position, as shown in FIG. 3.

According to the command of the MCC capturing KM. For these purposes, a robotic arm (6) and a gripper (14) are used. Monitoring the execution of the capture CM is performed using cameras (10).

The next step is the installation of solid propellant rocket engines on the KM. The robotic arm (6) and the gripping device (14) provide the capture of one engine (13), removing it from the container (5) and fixing it on the surface of the CM. The number of engines (13) installed on the CM is determined by the MCC taking into account the mass of the CM and the value of the impulse of the characteristic speed required to transfer the CM to the trajectory of descent into the Earth’s atmosphere, or to the orbit of the burial. The engines (13) are mounted on the CM using two-component polymer glue, containers with fractions of which are installed on the end of the engine (13). The mixing of glue fractions and its application to the surface of the CM is carried out by the command of the control center broadcast using a digital television radio line of the spacecraft.

After the engines (13) are installed on the surface of the CM using small thrust engines (3), the spatial orientation of the CM is carried out to provide the required direction of the thrust vector of the engines (13) to transfer the CM to the trajectory of descent into the Earth’s atmosphere, or to the orbit of burial.

Subsequently, the KM capture and hold device (14) is moved to the KM release position, the robotic arms (6) and (7) are moved away from the KM, the spacecraft using small thrust engines (3) is moved to a safe distance from the KM.

At the command of the MCC, broadcast using the digital television radio line of the spacecraft, rocket engines of solid fuel are launched, which ensure the removal of the CM on the trajectory of descent into the Earth's atmosphere, or into the orbit of burial.

At the command of the MCC, the spacecraft is put into the orbit of another CM observed by ground-based means.

The main consumables affecting the reusability of spacecraft use and, accordingly, its efficiency are solid propellant rocket engines (13) and propellant propellant components for a mid-flight engine (2). In this regard, the container (5) with a set of engines (13) and tanks of rocket fuel components (4) are interchangeable with the possibility of their replacement in the conditions of orbital flight. Their delivery to the spacecraft is carried out by a special service spacecraft, or by an interorbital tug. The container with the expended set of engines (13) is undocked from the spacecraft and the new container (5) is installed by the robotic arm (6) and the capture device (14). Similar operations to replace fuel tanks (4) are performed by a robotic arm (7) and a gripper (14). Similar operations have been developed and are being performed on the ISS by the remotely controlled space robot-manipulator ERA (European Robotic Arm), created for assembly operations and servicing the Russian segment of the International Space Station. Service operations are performed by the command of the MCC.

Thus, the objective of the invention is solved. The proposed spacecraft solves the problem of utilizing man-made space debris of arbitrary geometric dimensions, arbitrary mass, randomly rotating relative to its own center of mass, observed by ground-based means.

In addition, the efficiency of the proposed spacecraft application is significantly increased due to the fact that to change the orbit of the spacecraft, it is not the marching liquid propellant rocket engine components that are used, but special solid propellant rocket engines located in a removable container aboard the spacecraft, as well as by increasing the spacecraft’s reusability by complete sets with replaceable fuel tanks of the sustainer engine and a renewable set of rocket engines for changing the orbits of the KM.

Claims (3)

1. A spacecraft for cleaning space debris, consisting of an unpressurized hull, a marching liquid rocket engine, an orientation and landing system with a thrust propulsion system, an energy supply system based on solar panels, a flight control system, characterized in that it is equipped with an onboard special complex, including a robot manipulator for capturing and holding space debris, a container with a block of rocket engines of solid fuel, a robot manipulator for unloading from the tuner of rocket engines of solid fuel and fixing them on the surface of space debris, a telescopic damper-damper of space debris with a set of elastic-flexible fibers located on the extendable part of the damper-damper, a digital television radio line, including blocks of cameras, antennas for transmitting data and receiving commands from the center flight control, onboard special complex control system, including command issuing functions to provide the required spatial orientation of space debris and VC radiation of solid propellant rocket engines. 2. A spacecraft for cleaning space debris according to claim 1, characterized in that the fuel tanks of the marching liquid propellant rocket engine are made in a removable design, which are replaced in orbit by an onboard robotic arm with the involvement of a special transport service spacecraft. 3. A spacecraft for cleaning space debris according to claim 1, characterized in that the container with rocket engines of solid fuel is made in a removable design, the replacement of which is carried out in orbit by an onboard robot-manipulator with the involvement of a special transport service spacecraft.

Images