Fuel costs estimation for ion beam assisted space debris removal mission with and without attitude control

Abstract

Contactless space debris removal systems are the promising direction for solving the space debris problem. An ion beam transportation method is based on blowing the space debris with a high-speed plasma flow generated by the engine of an active spacecraft. The aim of the work is to evaluate the effect of controlling the attitude motion of space debris on the amount of fuel consumption during the contactless transportation. Four control strategies for an active spacecraft are proposed and compared. The first strategy involves transporting the object without considering its attitude motion. The second strategy involves stabilizing the object in a stable angular equilibrium position. The third strategy assumes transportation the space debris in the oscillation mode with the maximum average force. The fourth strategy involves stabilizing the object in an angular position corresponding to the maximum ion force. The control laws for the spacecraft's thrusters and for the direction of the ion beam axis, implementing these strategies, are proposed. The simulation of the transportation of the rocket stage is carried out and the fuel costs for various strategies are calculated. The most preferable from the point of view of minimizing fuel consumption is the second strategy. The fourth strategy is ineffective. The results obtained in this work can be used in the preparation of contactless space debris removal missions.