ЦНИИМАШ FEDERAL SPACE AGENCY OF RUSSIA TSNIIMASH SPACE DEBRIS AND CHALLENGES TO SAFETY OF SPACE ACTIVITY Yuriy Makarov, Dmitriy Gorobets Federal Space Agency Michael Yakovlev Central Research Institute of Machine Building The International Interdisciplinary Congress on Space Debris Montreal May 7-9, 2009 fffffffffffff 1 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Man-made orbital debris poses an increasing risk to space vehicles • The time have come when space debris poses the real risk for long term sustainable space activity, also for people safety and property on the Earth surface. • Each following launch of a space vehicle at long last leads to creation of new space debris. Moreover, studies indicate that beyond the middle of current century the self-collision fragments will outnumber decaying debris, and force the total debris population to increase. • Taking into account that space have got more deeply in all fields of activity of states and individuals, any limitation of space activity can lead to negative influence on economy of states and international relations up to development of potential conflicts. • So, space debris problem that have to be decided, concerns not only aspects of space engineering and space technologies, but also affects the social and economic developmentfffffffffffffof states and their national security. 2 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Regulation of Activity on Space Debris Mitigation • national standards on space debris mitigation; • international agreements on space debris mitigation; • international standards on designing and operation of space assets in order to minimize future space debris population; • licensing the organizations - designers and operators of space assets on the basis of the developed international standards on space debris mitigation; • restriction of the space market for the designers and operators of space assets who don’t carry out the requirements of international standards; • development and implementation of “space traffic management”; fffffffffffff 3 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Scheme of Responsibility for Development of Normative and Technical Documentation on Debris Mitigation INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITY ON SPACE DEBRIS PROBLEM UN COPUOS Guidelines on Space Debris Mitigation IADC Guidelines on Space Debris Mitigation Licensing of International Lice nsing of S pace O pe rators of Space S tandards Vehicles Designers Ve hicle s on Space Debris N ational Standards on Space Debris N A T I O N A L Sfffffffffffff P A C E A C T I V I T Y 4 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH UN COPUOS Document on Debris Mitigation • In June, 2007 at its 62nd session, the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (hereafter – the Committee) endorsed the Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (Ref. Doc. is A/62/20). • The COPUOS Guidelines are based on the technical content and the basic definitions of the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, taking into consideration the United Nations treaties and principles on outer space. • The COPUOS agreed that its approval of the voluntary guidelines for the mitigation of space debris would increase mutual understanding on acceptable activities in space and thus enhance stability in space-related matters and decrease the likelihood of friction and conflict. • The COPUOS Guidelines were subsequently endorsed by the General Assembly in its resolution 62/217 of 21 December, 2007. fffffffffffff 5 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Hierarchy of Documents on Space Debris Mitigation UN - TECHNICAL ISSUES UN COPUOS - S&TSC UN COPUOS - Level 3 IADC SD Space Debris Mitigation Basic Mitigation Guidelines Guidelines Principles IADC Support to SD Level 2 Mitigation Guidelines What should be done? (additional technical information) Design & Operation Practices Level 1 (ISO/National Activities) How it should be done? (technical requirements) Licensing of Operators and Designers (ISO/National Activities) fffffffffffff 6 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH The Keystones of the Russian Federation Space Policy up to 2020 and Beyond approved by the PRESIDENT of the RUSSIAN FEDERATION, April, 2008 Top Priorities of the Russian Federation Space Activity • Deployment of orbital satellite groupings for supporting communications, TV and radio broadcasting, navigation, ERS, hydrometeorology, basic space research, defense, thus satisfying the national security, social, economic and science sectors requirements. • Assured space access and autonomy of the Russian Federation space activity within the whole range of the missions to be realized owing to construction of a launch site on the country’s territory for operating science- and economy- oriented spacecrafts. • Fulfillment of international obligations including the ISS commitments, completion of the ISS Russian Segment buildup and enhancement of its scientific application payoff • Exploration of Solar system planets and celestial bodies focused on obtaining profound knowledge about the surrounding world, utilizing extraterrestrial resources, studying the Earth climate evolution mechanisms, searching for exobiota Safety control Assurance of ecological safety of space activity, implementation of of technologies and the designs minimizing production of space debris at launch and operation of spacecraft and orbital stations space activity fffffffffffff 7 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH International Scientific Optical Network (ISON) ISON is an open international non-government project mainly aimed at being a free source of information on space objects for scientific analysis fffffffffffff 8 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Space Debris Modelling In 2008 the parameters of the 2400 Russian Standard on Debris 2200 Model were updated applying 2000 the accessible data 2003 1800 2005 1600 2007 • It was shown that within the 2009 last two years the velocity of 1400 enhancement of debris 1200 population may be assessed 1000 as unprecedented. It 4 times 800 exceeds the average speed of 600 growth of debris population for Число в кмобъектов 100 слое all previous years. 400 200 • In 2009 the debris population in the range of debris 0 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 concentration maximum was Высота перигея, км enhanced up to 2.6 times in comparing with 2003. fffffffffffff 9 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH ISS Protection Against Space Debris Fragments HIGH VELOCITY IMPACT EXPERIMENTS • Projectile – Al pellet of 10,72 mm in diameter, velocity ~ 6 km/s. Impact angle ~ 45o. • The investigated structures of equivalent weight: A - combination of mesh shield with continuous shield (Russian proposal). B - combination of two continuous shields (as it used at the ISS). A. Second shield – B. Second shield – without through breakdown through breakdown (The first shield was made from the steel (The first continuous aluminum shield) mesh of special weaving) fffffffffffff 10 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Compliance of Roscosmos Activity in Space Debris Mitigation with the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines The UN Principle The measures undertaken №/№ of Space Debris in the space vehicles design and operation Mitigation 1 Limit debris • Not to release space debris fragments for “Briz-M”, “DM” orbital stages , 3-rd released during stage (block “I”) of “Soyuz-2” launcher during normal operations. normal • Not to release space debris fragments for spacecraft during normal operations operations . 2 • Strengthening of constructive materials of space vehicles and using of Minimize the shields around fuel tanks, high pressure vessels not to admit accidental potential for break-ups and to protect against impact of meteors and space debris fragments. break-ups during operational • At spacecraft of “Ekran” type to prevent explosions of the detonating gas that is being produced by the silver-cadmium batteries, the said batteries phases were changed to the nickel-hydrogen ones. • In case of orbital stages of “DM” type the minimizing of the potential for break-ups is provided due to presence of relief dampers on fuel tanks and gas cylinders. fffffffffffff 11 hhhhhhhhhhhh ЦНИИМАШ TSNIIMASH Compliance of Roscosmos Activity in Space Debris Mitigation with the UN Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines The UN Principle The measures undertaken №/№ of Space Debris in the space vehicles design and operation Mitigation 3 Limit the • Guaranteed withdrawal of orbital stages from the launched spacecraft is probability of being undertaken thus decreasing the probability of dangerous collisions. accidental • In case of the International Space Station (ISS) the estimation of probability collision in orbit of collisions with large debris fragments is being carried out on a regular basis. Maneuvers of the ISS for leaving from dangerous fragments are envisioned thus decreasing the probability of collisions. 4 Avoid intentional • Intentional destructions are prohibited at all launchers, apogee motors and destruction and spacecraft developed by Roscosmos. other harmful activities 5 Minimize •The pressure release from fuel tanks is made in case of orbital stages after their potential for withdrawal from the launched spacecraft post-mission •In case of orbital stages of “DM” type the following procedures are break-ups implemented: the removal of the remainders of fuel of the sustainer, a burning resulting from out of the remainders of fuel from SOZ engine after separation of spacecraft, a discharge of onboard storage batteries. stored energy •In case of spacecraft of “Express” and “Gonets” types the following procedures are implemented: termination of rotation of handwheels, gyros and other mechanical