Session
Session III: Science Mission Payloads - Research & Academia
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
Proliferation in low earth orbits, both operational satellites and defunct or debris items, poses a significant challenge to the long-term sustainability of space operations, and the difficulties in tracking and measuring mm-scale has increased the uncertainty of contemporary statistical models like the NASA Orbital Debris Engineering Model (ORDEM) and ESA MASTER and their statistical debris flux predictions. This uncertainty both complicates orbital mission risk assessment and impedes remediation efforts. This paper develops a CubeSat mission that informs these statistical models through in situ flux determination, providing a comparison of debris flux levels in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The optimum orbit for this mission is chosen by considering different objectives based on flux levels and active satellite density, with the constraint of CubeSat operational limits. The results suggest that the highest debris flux is concentrated at a 98.7° inclination, likely due to the prevalence of sun-synchronous satellites. To maximize data collection, DebrisFind is planned for a 650 km orbit—an altitude that balances a high debris flux density with the operational constraints of CubeSat missions. The mission’s core payload evaluates two conceptual designs for a deployable mechanism capable of unfolding a thin debris detector sheet, along with an onboard optical system designed to detect and characterize debris interactions on the deployed surface. Over the mission lifetime, the debris detector sheet is expected to detect ∼100 sub-millimeter particles per square meter of area. Complementary to the main mission, an additional camera system passively monitors debris, providing validation of optic flow-based detection methods. It also explores the feasibility of using trajectory deviations as a signal for debris collision detection. The mission’s findings will contribute to refining space debris models and improving collision risk assessments for future spacecraft. By providing real-world flux data at small size scales, DebrisFind will help bridge the gap between theoretical predictions and observed debris populations, supporting the development of more effective mitigation strategies for sustainable space operations.
Document Type
Event
DebrisFind: A CubeSat Mission for Evaluating Space Debris Flux in Low Earth Orbit
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Proliferation in low earth orbits, both operational satellites and defunct or debris items, poses a significant challenge to the long-term sustainability of space operations, and the difficulties in tracking and measuring mm-scale has increased the uncertainty of contemporary statistical models like the NASA Orbital Debris Engineering Model (ORDEM) and ESA MASTER and their statistical debris flux predictions. This uncertainty both complicates orbital mission risk assessment and impedes remediation efforts. This paper develops a CubeSat mission that informs these statistical models through in situ flux determination, providing a comparison of debris flux levels in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The optimum orbit for this mission is chosen by considering different objectives based on flux levels and active satellite density, with the constraint of CubeSat operational limits. The results suggest that the highest debris flux is concentrated at a 98.7° inclination, likely due to the prevalence of sun-synchronous satellites. To maximize data collection, DebrisFind is planned for a 650 km orbit—an altitude that balances a high debris flux density with the operational constraints of CubeSat missions. The mission’s core payload evaluates two conceptual designs for a deployable mechanism capable of unfolding a thin debris detector sheet, along with an onboard optical system designed to detect and characterize debris interactions on the deployed surface. Over the mission lifetime, the debris detector sheet is expected to detect ∼100 sub-millimeter particles per square meter of area. Complementary to the main mission, an additional camera system passively monitors debris, providing validation of optic flow-based detection methods. It also explores the feasibility of using trajectory deviations as a signal for debris collision detection. The mission’s findings will contribute to refining space debris models and improving collision risk assessments for future spacecraft. By providing real-world flux data at small size scales, DebrisFind will help bridge the gap between theoretical predictions and observed debris populations, supporting the development of more effective mitigation strategies for sustainable space operations.
