Comparison of laser ablation and ion beam efficiency for contactless space debris deorbiting from a quasi-circular orbit


DOI: 10.34759/trd-2022-127-01

Аuthors

Ledkov A. S.*, Belov A. A.**, Tchannikov I. A.***

Samara National Research University named after Academician S.P. Korolev, 34, Moskovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086, Russia

*e-mail: ledkov@inbox.ru
**e-mail: aleshabelov2001@mail.ru
***e-mail: ilya-tch2001.ru@yandex.ru

Abstract

The article deals with the problem of space debris removal from the near-Earth orbits. The motion of mechanical system, consisting of a spacecraft and an object of space debris sphere, is under study. Active spacecraft is a material point, while space debris is of a spherical shape moves moves on a circular orbit. In the first case, the contactless transportation of space debris is being realized by the laser, and in the second case, an electrojet engine jet is used. It is assumed that in the process of the ion transportation, the entire ion beam hits the surface of the sphere, and a simplified auto-similar model of plasma propagation is used to describe the far region of the electrojet engine plume. In the case transportation by laser, the laser beam control system ensures a point selection on the sphere, for which the normal is directed along the local horizon. The purpose of the study consists in comparing these transportation methods effectiveness in terms of the fuel rate of the active spacecraft. For this purpose, mathematical model of the mechanical system is being developed, and numerical simulation of the descent is performed. The numerical modeling results revealed that the laser ablation method appeared more effective compared to the ion transportation. It is associated with the fact that the force generated by the laser ablation effect appears greater than that generated by the ion beam. Besides, the engine generating the ion beam creates thrust, which should be compensated by the oppositely directed engine. It is supposed in the development of this work to account for the effect of aerodynamic drag forces acting of the active spacecraft and a space debris object, as well as studying special motion of the system and developing control law for the active spacecraft to sustain the required position out of the orbit plane.

Keywords:

space debris removal, contactless deorbiting, laser ablation, ion beam, fuel costs

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