Frontier technology and system development of space debris surveillance and active removal

Abstract

Space debris is space junk of human space activities. With space activities becoming more frequent, the number of space debris is rapidly increasing, and have formed actual serious threat to human space assets security. It was the consensus of the international community that space debris is one of the major challenges to all human beings, space debris environment remediation is the only choice and only way out. It has important strategic significance to carry out space debris environment remediation for ensureing the space assets safety, maintaining national security and interests, ensureing the international outer space affairs leading position and discourse power, standing the space powers responsibility and image, leading the high and new science and technology innovation and development, promoting the growth of emerging space economy and new industrial patterns. However, the active debris removal is one of the major technical challenge for the entire international space industry. The current situation and the evolution trend of space debris environment, and its harms are analyzed in detail. The present technique status, research frontier and development trends about space debris surveillance and active debris removal are deeply reviewed. Analysis indicates that the existing ground-based space object monitoring method cannot cover the whole sky seamless all the time, and can not work all-weather. Space-based monitoring techniques is an irresistible trend of space object tracking and monitoring, and the final solution of space object surveillance is the integration of space-based and ground-based means. A series active debris removal techniques and plans have been developed, some key techniques have been demonstrated on orbit. However, there is still a distance for active debris removal on-orbit application. The key technique and scientific problems related to space debris surveillance and active debris removal are addressed. The gaps between China and the world level on space debris surveillance and active debris removal are analyzed. Around China national great strategic requirements for security and long-term sustainability of space career, the existing problems about space debris surveillance and active debris removal are pointed out. The connotation of the concept or space debris environment remediation is proposed and is further defined. The corresponding technical system are constructed. Finally, the development suggestions and roadmap of China space debris environment remediation project until 2030 is proposed. Its technical core is forming the ability of space debris precise surveillance, efficient removal, and effective protection. The mission and vision for China is to gradually possess the service capability for space debris environment remediation with characteristics of all functions, advanced performances, high efficiency, lowcost, routinization, commercialization and internationalization.