Space debris and NEAs research at IFAC-CNR

Alessandro Rossi

IFAC–CNR, Pisa, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino

Italian Workshop on SSARome, July, 9-10, 2012

CollaboratorsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Giovanni B. Valsecchi, IAPS-INAF, giovanni@iaps.inaf.itE. Dotto (INAF-OAR), F. Piergentili (UniRoma I), S. Marinoni(ASI-SDC)Department of Mathematics, University of PisaISTI–CNRTwo post-docs will be hired between end of 2012 and first halfof 2013 on EU contracts.

Space debrisA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

SARA, TELAD: ESA-SSA contracts for the development ofnetwork of optical surveillance systems for high-LEO orbitsbased on the fly-eye telescope by CGS (Prime: CGS)Collaboration with SpaceDyS S.r.l. in the framework ofESA-SSAAllerta Spaziale per Infrastrutture Critiche - EU “Prevention,Preparedness and Consequence management of Terrorismand Other Security related Risks” CIPS (Prime TelespazioS.p.A.)Stardust: EU Marie Curie Network on space debris removaland NEAs mitigation (Prime: University of Strathclyde)

Near Earth AsteroidsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Impact risk estimation, mathematical models for collisionprobability computation (with INAF-IAPS and SpaceDySs.r.l.)(see Valsecchi presentation)Study of physical properties of small bodies of the SolarSystem (with INAF-OAR)Orbital and rotational dynamics of asteroidsSpace missions to NEAs (design and science at target)(e.g.MarcoPolo-R)

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

International Committees and Working Groups

Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC):member of the WG2 (“Environment Modelling andDatabases”)(Chairman from 2004-2006)Technical Team SCI-229 (TASK GROUP) on “SpaceEnvironment Support to NATO Space Situational Awareness”Member of ESA SSA User Representatives Group for theSpace Situational Awareness panel.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Long term evolution of thespace debris environment,mitigation measures studieswith SDM:

first studies in 1993 (Rossiet al., JGR, 1994)more than 30 papers on thesubject.....4 large ESA-ESOCcontracts for thedevelopment of SDM andthe long term simulations

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Collision risk evaluation forspace assets and dynamicalevolution of the debris clouds:Iridium collision dynamics(Rossi, Farinella andValsecchi, Nature, 399, pp.743-744 (1999).

Medium Earth Orbit: GNSSorbital stability. disposalstrategies and collision risk

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Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Preliminary orbit determination methods(with UniPi andSpaceDyS)

ESA-ESOC Contract on GEOobservations from ESA SpaceDebris Telescope: building ofa GEO catalogue from scratchusing non-optimized opticalobservations.

The innovative methods and softwaredeveloped by UniPi allowed

the determination ofsix-parameters orbits from astandard data set of opticalobservations.

No a priori information norsimplified assumptions (such ascircular orbits) were required,

The observation strategy wascompletely independent from thedesign of the methods and notoptimized for their use.

Even the most demanding casesof high A/M objects weresuccessfully treated.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Preliminary orbit determination methods(with UniPi andSpaceDyS)

ESA-ESOC Contract on GEOobservations from ESA SpaceDebris Telescope: building ofa GEO catalogue from scratchusing non-optimized opticalobservations.

The innovative methods and softwaredeveloped by UniPi allowed

the determination ofsix-parameters orbits from astandard data set of opticalobservations.

No a priori information norsimplified assumptions (such ascircular orbits) were required,

The observation strategy wascompletely independent from thedesign of the methods and notoptimized for their use.

Even the most demanding casesof high A/M objects weresuccessfully treated.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Preliminary orbit determination methods(with UniPi andSpaceDyS)

ESA-ESOC Contract on GEOobservations from ESA SpaceDebris Telescope: building ofa GEO catalogue from scratchusing non-optimized opticalobservations.

The innovative methods and softwaredeveloped by UniPi allowed

the determination ofsix-parameters orbits from astandard data set of opticalobservations.

No a priori information norsimplified assumptions (such ascircular orbits) were required,

The observation strategy wascompletely independent from thedesign of the methods and notoptimized for their use.

Even the most demanding casesof high A/M objects weresuccessfully treated.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Preliminary orbit determination methods(with UniPi andSpaceDyS)

ESA-ESOC Contract on GEOobservations from ESA SpaceDebris Telescope: building ofa GEO catalogue from scratchusing non-optimized opticalobservations.

The innovative methods and softwaredeveloped by UniPi allowed

the determination ofsix-parameters orbits from astandard data set of opticalobservations.

No a priori information norsimplified assumptions (such ascircular orbits) were required,

The observation strategy wascompletely independent from thedesign of the methods and notoptimized for their use.

Even the most demanding casesof high A/M objects weresuccessfully treated.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Preliminary orbit determination methods(with UniPi andSpaceDyS)

SARA optical network of fly-eyetelescopes: able to complementradar from ≈ 1200 km to 2000km of altitude down to ≈ 5 cm

All the numbered orbits areaccurate enough to allow followup obs. with no trailing loss. Theorbit accuracy from the improvedorbits is compliant with theaccuracy envelope of collisionavoidance requirements.

The network of telescopes is ableto detect and catalog thefragments generated by acatastrophic event just a few daysafter the event.

Experience and resultsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Physical characterization ofspace debris in the GEO region

First Italian photometric andspectroscopic measurements ofspace debris objects in GEO withthe 1.5 Loiano(INAF-Osservatorio Astronomicodi Bologna) telescope.

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Software, instruments and toolsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

First Italian photometric andspectroscopic measurementsof space debris objects inGEO with the 1.5 Loiano(INAF-OsservatorioAstronomico di Bologna)telescope.

Software and toolsA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Space Debris Mitigation (SDM 4.1) is a debris environmentlong term evolution model first developed in the early 90’s andconstantly upgraded since then under ESA-ESOC contracts.It is one of the few worldwide existing software able torealistically model the long term evolution of the space debrispopulation.Ancillary models include:

orbital propagatorscollision risk estimation algorithms.......

ImprovementA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Parallel hardwareMulti-core computers: easy, relatively cheap

Software (SDM) upgrade:man-power: difficult, expensive∼ 1 man year

A telescope with differential tracking (i.e., able to follow aslowly moving target in non-sidereal motion) would be usefulto obtain spectra of near GEO objects. Loiano at present doesnot have this capability. Other small-medium size telescopesin Italy have it and we will try to apply for observing time.

European SSA SystemA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

European SSA SystemA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

European SSA SystemA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Criticality index =⇒ ancillary information on “European TLEs”Cloud dynamics =⇒ collision avoidance filteringCatalogue building and maintenance procedures withadvanced orbit determination algorithms (with UniPi andSpaceDyS s.r.l.)

AoBA. Rossi, IFAC-CNR Italian Workshop on SSA

Active debris removal simulations will be performed in theIADC collaborative framework, with SDM 4.1IFAC-CNR is part of the Stardust EU Marie Curie consortium:Active Debris removal simulation will be one of the main tasksMedium Earth Orbit: GNSS (Galileo) management andmitigation strategies.