Preliminary Trajectory Design for Mitigating Debris Utilizing Solar Sailing and Conventional Propulsion

Abstract

In this study, preliminary trajectory design for debris removal in low Earth orbit using solar sails is explored. Emphasis is placed on regions below 1000 km altitude, where the debris population is rapidly growing. The aim is to propose a mission concept capable of repetitively executing removal processes. The trajectory is intricately crafted, segmented into rendezvous, proximity operations, and deorbiting phases. Safety is prioritized by leveraging walking safety ellipses during proximity operations, ensuring efficient capture of targeted debris. Additionally, the feasibility and limitations of the mission concept are assessed through numerical simulations based on characteristic acceleration, a pivotal performance index of solar sails.