NASA-HANDBOOK NASA HANDBOOK 8719.14 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Approved: 2008-07-30 Washington, DC 20546 Expiration Date: 2013-07-30 HANDBOOK FOR LIMITING ORBITAL DEBRIS Measurement System Identification: Metric APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE – DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED NASA-Handbook 8719.14 This page intentionally left blank. Page 2 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 DOCUMENT HISTORY LOG Status Document Approval Date Description Revision Baseline 2008-07-30 Initial Release Page 3 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 This page intentionally left blank. Page 4 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 This page intentionally left blank. Page 6 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 SCOPE...........................................................................................................................13 1.1 Purpose................................................................................................................................ 13 1.2 Applicability ....................................................................................................................... 13 2 APPLICABLE AND REFERENCE DOCUMENTS................................................14 3 ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS ...........................................................................15 3.1 Acronyms............................................................................................................................ 15 3.2 Definitions .......................................................................................................................... 20 4 Technical Material........................................................................................................23 4.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 23 4.1.1 References.................................................................................................................... 26 4.2 The Current Orbital Debris Environment ........................................................................... 26 4.2.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 26 4.2.2 Sources of Debris and Distributions ............................................................................ 26 4.2.3 Debris Count (> 10 cm) Graphs and Figures............................................................... 28 4.2.4 Breakups ...................................................................................................................... 31 4.2.5 Debris Causes and Counts ........................................................................................... 31 4.2.6 Effects of Debris Collisions......................................................................................... 33 4.2.7 Uncertainty................................................................................................................... 33 4.2.8 References.................................................................................................................... 34 4.3 Future Environment ............................................................................................................ 34 4.3.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 34 4.3.2 Debris Count ................................................................................................................ 35 4.3.3 Launch Activity ........................................................................................................... 37 4.3.4 Implications.................................................................................................................. 39 4.3.5 References.................................................................................................................... 40 4.4 Measurements of the Orbital Debris Environment............................................................. 41 4.4.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 41 4.4.2 The U.S. Space Surveillance Network......................................................................... 42 4.4.3 Radar Measurements.................................................................................................... 61 4.4.4 Optical Measurements ................................................................................................. 74 4.4.5 In Situ Measurements................................................................................................... 88 4.4.6 References.................................................................................................................... 93 4.5 Modeling the Orbital Debris Environment ......................................................................... 98 Page 7 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 4.5.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 98 4.5.2 Applicability of an Engineering Model ..................................................................... 101 4.5.3 LEGEND.................................................................................................................... 122 4.5.4 References.................................................................................................................. 130 4.6 Micro-Meteoroid Orbital Debris (MMOD) Shielding...................................................... 134 4.6.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 134 4.6.2 Spacecraft MMOD Environment............................................................................... 135 4.6.3 Shielding Probability of No Penetration Limits......................................................... 135 4.6.4 Risk Assessment Process ........................................................................................... 138 4.6.5 Ballistic Limit Equations ........................................................................................... 141 4.6.6 BUMPER Code.......................................................................................................... 145 4.6.7 Probability of No Penetration and Design Qualification ........................................... 145 4.6.8 Risk Reduction Practices ........................................................................................... 146 4.6.9 Enhanced Shielding ................................................................................................... 147 4.6.10 References................................................................................................................ 149 4.7 Mitigation.......................................................................................................................... 149 4.7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 149 4.7.2 History........................................................................................................................ 150 4.7.3 Current Status............................................................................................................. 151 4.7.4 Other Agencies/UN Guidelines ................................................................................. 155 4.7.5 Software Tools........................................................................................................... 156 4.7.6 Future of Mitigation................................................................................................... 157 4.7.7 References.................................................................................................................. 159 4.8 Reentry.............................................................................................................................. 160 4.8.1 Introduction................................................................................................................ 160 4.8.2 Current Status of Reentry Analysis............................................................................ 161 4.8.3 Analyses of Reentry Survival by Other Agencies ..................................................... 165 4.8.4 Future Improvements................................................................................................. 167 4.8.5 References.................................................................................................................. 167 Page 8 of 174 NASA-Handbook 8719.14 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.1-1. STS-7 window strike.............................................................................................. 23 Figure 4.1-2. Radiator damage on STS-115. ............................................................................... 24 Figure 4.2-1. Monthly number of cataloged objects in Earth orbit by object type...................... 28 Figure 4.2-2. On-Orbit objects by type........................................................................................ 29 Figure 4.2-3. Causes of satellite breakups. .................................................................................. 32 Figure 4.2-4. Proportion of all cataloged satellite breakup debris............................................... 32 Figure 4.2-5. Proportion of cataloged satellite breakup debris remaining in orbit.....................