ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use estec European Space Research and Technology Centre Keplerlaan 1 2201 AZ Noordwijk The Netherlands T +31 (0)71 565 6565 F +31 (0)71 565 6040 www.esa.int ESA Space Debris Mitigation Compliance Verification Guidelines Prepared by ESA Space Debris Mitigation WG Reference ESSB-HB-U-002 Issue 1 Revision 0 Date of Issue 19 February 2015 Status Approved Document Type HB Distribution ESA ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use Title ESA Space Debris Mitigation Compliance Verification Guidelines Issue 1 Revision 0 Author ESA Space Debris Mitigation WG Date 19 February 2015 Approved by ESSB Date Reason for change Issue Revision Date First issue 1 19 February 2015 Issue 1 Revision 0 Reason for change Date Pages Paragraph(s) Page 2/95 ESSB-HB-U-002 Date 19 February 2015 Issue 1 Rev 0 ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use Table of contents 1 Scope .................................................................................................................... 6 2 References ............................................................................................................ 7 3 Terms, definitions and abbreviated terms ......................................................... 8 3.1 Terms from other standards ................................................................................. 8 3.2 Terms specific to the this document .................................................................... 9 3.3 Abbreviated terms ................................................................................................11 4 Space Debris Mitigation requirements compliance verification .................... 12 4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................12 4.2 Requirement 6.1.1.1: mission-related objects release .......................................15 4.3 Requirement 6.1.1.2: mission-related objects on-orbit presence......................16 4.4 Requirement 6.1.1.3: launch mission-related objects release ...........................17 4.5 Requirement 6.1.2.1: pyrotechnic particle release .............................................17 4.6 Requirement 6.1.2.2: solid rocket motors particle release in GEO ...................18 4.7 Requirement 6.1.2.3: solid rocket motors particle release in LEO ....................18 4.8 Requirement 6.2.1: intentional break-ups ...........................................................19 4.9 Requirement 6.2.2.1: break-up probability threshold .........................................19 4.10 Requirement 6.2.2.2: break-up probability assessment .....................................20 4.11 Requirement 6.2.2.3: passivation ........................................................................20 4.12 Requirement 6.3.1.1: disposal reliability threshold ............................................21 4.13 Requirement 6.3.1.2: disposal reliability assessment ........................................23 4.14 Requirement 6.3.1.3: disposal reliability constraints .........................................23 4.15 Requirement 6.3.2.1: GEO clearance ...................................................................24 4.16 Requirement 6.3.2.2: GEO disposal maneuvers .................................................25 4.17 Requirement 6.3.3.1: LEO clearance ...................................................................26 4.18 Requirement 6.3.3.2: LEO disposal maneuvers ..................................................27 4.19 Requirement 6.3.4.1: re-entry casualty risk acceptance ....................................28 4.20 Requirement 6.3.4.2: re-entry casualty risk assessment ...................................29 5 Space Debris Mitigation documentation .......................................................... 31 Annex A Orbit propagation analysis ..................................................................... 32 Annex B On-orbit collision risk and vulnerability analysis ................................. 42 Annex C Re-entry casualty risk analysis .............................................................. 50 Page 3/95 ESSB-HB-U-002 Date 19 February 2015 Issue 1 Rev 0 ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use Annex D Propellant gauging methods .................................................................. 68 Annex E Passivation methods .............................................................................. 70 Annex F EOL disposal reliability ........................................................................... 74 Annex G Space Debris Mitigation Plan (SDMP) document description ............. 77 Annex H Space Debris Mitigation Report (SDMR) document description ......... 84 Annex I Space Debris Mitigation Request for Deviation (RFD) / Waiver (RFW) form .......................................................................................................... 93 Figures Figure 4-1: Monthly number of catalogued objects in Earth orbit by object type (ESA DISCOS database, Dec-2014) ...........................................................................13 Tables Table 4-1: Structure of the sections ......................................................................................14 Table 5-1: Space Debris Mitigation documentation process .................................................31 Page 4/95 ESSB-HB-U-002 Date 19 February 2015 Issue 1 Rev 0 ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use Introduction Launch vehicle orbital stages and spacecraft becoming non-functional, at the end of mission or because of accidental failures, as well as mission-related objects, contribute to the space debris population. Furthermore, any launch vehicle orbital stage or spacecraft can be involved in fragmentation events due to orbital collisions and break-ups. The resulting fragmentation debris pose a significant risk for short and long-term survivability of any other operational space mission. Launch vehicle orbital stages and spacecraft becoming non-functional, at the end of mission or because of accidental failures, as well as mission-related objects, contribute to the space debris population. Furthermore, any launch vehicle orbital stage or spacecraft can be involved in fragmentation events due to orbital collisions and break-ups. The resulting fragmentation debris pose a significant risk for short and long-term survivability of any other operational space mission, since a spacecraft or launch vehicle orbital stage can have a high probability of collision if it passes through a region of high debris density concentration. This high debris density concentration can occurs after a break-up. A debris cloud exhibits large spatial and temporal changes in the concentration of the spatial density in space. In high-inclined LEO orbits, within a few days after the break-up, the debris become more uniformly distributed within the orbital plane, and the cloud reaches a state called the pseudo-torus. At a later point in time, the debris cloud expands and evolves into a shell distribution. According to ESA DISCOS database, 240 break-up events of spacecraft and rocket bodies were recorded up to May 2014: 74 (30,8%) due to propulsion system; 8 (3,33%) due to battery; 11 (4,58%) due to collisions (which includes potential collisions with sub-catalogued objects); 86 (35,8%) due to unidentified causes; 61 (25,4%) deliberate break-ups. Re-entering space debris also may represent a hazard to human population, air and naval traffic, and ground and sea assets. Currently every year a few hundred of catalogued objects, including spacecraft, launch vehicle orbital stages, and fragments re-enter the Earth atmosphere without any control. A few tens of these objects are large and heavy enough to survive an atmospheric re-entry. Typically about 10-40% of the mass can survive (depending on the object design, re-entry trajectory, atmospheric conditions) and parts or fragments can reach the Earth surface with high kinetic energy. Propellant tanks, high-pressure vessels, and motor cases made of Titanium or heavy components like reaction wheels are often likely to reach the ground. In 2004, all major European space agencies agreed on the “European Code of Conduct for Space Debris Mitigation” (ASI, BNSC, CNES, DLR, ESA, 28/06/2004). In 2008, the first ESA Space Debris Mitigation Policy was released. This policy has been updated in 2014 with the ESA/ADMIN/IPOL(2014)2, which adopts the ECSS-U-AS-10C / ISO 24113 as standard for Space Debris Mitigation. Space Debris Mitigation measures aim at reducing the probability of fragmentation events and collisions and minimize the probability of hazard occurrence in orbit and in case of re-entry. Page 5/95 ESSB-HB-U-002 Date 19 February 2015 Issue 1 Rev 0 ESA UNCLASSIFIED – For Official Use 1 Scope This handbook provides guidelines on verification methods and possible implementation of mitigation measures in support to ESA Projects to facilitate the compliance with the ESA Space Debris Mitigation (SDM) requirements defined by the ESA policy ESA/ADMIN/IPOL(2014)2. This document has been prepared by the ESA Space Debris Mitigation Working Group, coordinated by the Independent Safety Office (TEC-QI), involving experts from the relevant disciplines in the ESA Technical and Quality Management (TEC) Directorate, the Space Debris Office (HSO-GR) in the ESA Human Spaceflight and Operations (HSO) Directorate, and representatives from the other Programme Directorates. This handbook provides as well a description of the analysis approaches and documentation to be prepared to demonstrate compliance with the requirements