Abstract
This paper presents a new orbital debris environment model (CODRM-97). It includes the objects with a mass ≥ 1 mg produced by international space launches and operations, 140 energetic breakups and 16 liquid metal coolant leaks from nuclear-powered spacecraft. Each fragmentation or leakage was simulated with the most appropriate models and parameters, and the resulting debris clouds were propagated, including all the significant orbital perturbations, to the chosen reference epoch (January 1, 1997). At this point, the particles still in orbit were merged with the cataloged objects present in space at the same time. In total, more than 65 million particles with a mass ≥ 1 mg were generated during the simulations and more than 52 million were found to be still in orbit at the reference epoch. Preliminary comparisons with the measurements available below 1000 km seem to indicate that the CODRM-97 predictions come short by a factor of two for debris with diameters close to 1 cm and by an order of magnitude for particles with diameters approaching 1 mm. This deficiency might reflect, in part, an intrinsic inadequacy of the breakup models adopted, but probably suggests the presence in space of additional debris sources, not yet included in CODRM-97.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
STANSBERY, E. G., SETTECERRI, T. J., MATNEY, M. J., ZHANG, J., and REYNOLDS, R. C. “Haystack Radar Measurements of the Orbital Debris Environment; 1990–1994,” JSC-27436, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, April 1996.
KESSLER, D. J. ZHANG, J., MATNEY, M. J. EICHLER, P., REYNOLDS, R. C., ANZ-MEADOR, P. D., and STANSBERY, E. G. “A Computer-Based Orbital Debris Environment Model for Spacecraft Design and Observations in Low-Earth Orbit,” NASA TM-104825, Houston, Texas, November 1996.
PARDINI, C, CORDELLI, A., ROSSI, A., ANSELMO, L., and FARINELLA, P. “The Contribution of Past Fragmentation Events to the Uncatalogued Orbital Debris Population,” AAS Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Vol. 90, Univelt Inc., San Diego, California, 1995, pp. 809–828.
PARDINI, C. “Development of a Single Fragmentation Event Simulator (CLDSIM),” Study Note of Work Package 3600, Study on Long-Term Evolution of Earth Orbiting Debris, ESA/ESOC Contract No. 10034/92/D/IM(SC), Pisa, Italy, September 1995.
SU, S. Y., and KESSLER, D. J. “Contribution of Explosion and Future Collision Fragments to the Orbital Debris Environment,” Advances in Space Research, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1985, pp. 25–34.
REYNOLDS, R. C. “Documentation of Program EVOLVE: A Numerical Model to Compute Projections of the Man-made Orbital Debris Environment,” SPC Report No. OD91-002-U-CSP, System Planning Corp., Arlington, Virginia, February 1991.
ANSELMO, L., CORDELLI, A., FARINELLA, P., PARDINI, C., and ROSSI, A. “Final Report,” Study on Long-Term Evolution of Earth Orbiting Debris, ESA/ESOC Contract No. 10034/92/D/IM(SC), Pisa, Italy, April 1996.
REYNOLDS, R. C. “Review of Current Activities to Model and Measure the Orbital Debris Environment in Low-Earth-Orbit,” Advances in Space Research, Vol. 10, No. 3–4 1990, pp. 359–372.
SU, S. Y. “The Velocity Distribution of the Collisional Fragments and Its Effect on the Future Space Debris Environment,” Advances in Space Research, Vol. 10, No. 3–4, 1990, pp. 389–392.
JEHN, R. “Modelling Debris Clouds,” Shaker Verlag, Aachen, Germany, 1996.
ROSSI, A. “Development of a Debris Cloud Propagator,” Study Note of Work Package 3200, Study on Long Term Evolution of Earth Orbiting Debris, ESA/ESOC Contract No. 10034/92/D/IM(SC), Pisa, Italy, March 1994.
PARDINI, C. “Development of a Fast Orbit Propagator,” Study Note of Work Package 3100, Study on Long-Term Evolution of Earth Orbiting Debris, ESA/ESOC Contract No. 10034/92/D/IM(SC), Pisa, Italy, September 1993.
KWOK, J. H. “The Artificial Satellite Analysis Program (ASAP),” Version 2.0, JPL NPO-17522, Pasadena, California, April 1987.
PARDINI, C. “The Past On-Orbit Satellites and Rocket Bodies Fragmentations,” CNUCE/CNR Technical Report C97-020, Pisa, Italy, December 1997.
WILSON A. (editor) Jane’s Space Directory 1993–94, 9th edition, Coulsdon, Surrey, United Kingdom, 1993.
JOHNSON, N. L., BADE, A., EICHLER, P., CIZEK, E. ROBERTSON, S., and SETTE-CERRI, T. “History of On-Orbit Satellite Fragmentations,” Eleventh Edition, JSC-28383, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, July 31, 1998.
SDUNNUS, H. “Final Report,” Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference Model, ESA/ESOC Contract No. 10453/93/D/CS, Braunschweig, Germany, July 1995.
SDUNNUS, H. “MASTER Log of On-Orbit Fragmentation Events,” MAS Working Paper No. 382, ESA/ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany, April 1996.
BADE, A., JACKSON, A. A., REYNOLDS, R. C., EICHLER, P., KRISKO, P., MATNEY, M., ANZ-MEADOR, P. D., and JOHNSON, N. L. “Breakup Model Update at NASA/JSC,” 49th International Astronautical Congress, Paper IAA-98-IAA.6.3.02, Melbourne, Australia, September 28–October 2, 1998.
JACKSON, A., EICHLER, P., REYNOLDS, R. C., POTTER, A., and JOHNSON, N. L. “The Historical Contribution of Solid Rocket Motors to the One Centimeter Debris Population,” Proceedings of the Second European Conference on Space Debris, ESA/ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany, ESA SP-393, May 1997, pp. 279–284.
MCKNIGHT, D. S. “The Need for Wake Debris Modeling,” Orbital Debris Quarterly News, Vol. 1, No. 2, 1996.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pardini, C., Anselmo, L., Rossi, A. et al. A New Orbital Debris Reference Model. J of Astronaut Sci 46, 249–265 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03546236
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03546236