Other
Scientific paper
Aug 1993
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993adspr..13..283p&link_type=abstract
Advances in Space Research, Volume 13, Issue 8, p. 283-286.
Other
Scientific paper
``May our foresight in controlling the growth of artificial space debris provide boundless opportunities for the exploration of the cosmos for generations to come.'' This key space operations vision is given in the forward to Artificial Space Debris by Johnson and McKnight. The Iridium™ Program Office's vision is not quite so altruistic; however, it has been driven to a similar belief by the magnitude of 66 satellites sharing the same orbit.
Early in the development of the program, the necessity to address the debris issues surfaced. It was evident that the national policy was geared to minimize debris and common sense mandated that Motorola protect its chosen orbit of polar, circular at 780 km altitude. For the Iridium™ Block I (100 satellites) and Block II (100 satellites) commercial communication constellations to be successful and economical, debris must be actively mitigated. This drove a debris mitigation program with the following major aspects: orbit planning, launch and deployment activities, station keeping and collision avoidance, safe-mode, de-boost activities, and potential shielding requirements. Loss of a satellite from our own debris is not acceptable, while loss from other debris must be minimized.
This paper will present the Iridium™ approach to mitigate the dangers of orbital debris. The natural and man-made debris characteristics will be summarized, the system's level approach to protecting ``our orbit'' will be shown and the operational concepts for safe-mode and de-orbit will be explained. This commercial constellation's operational twist will enhance the orbital environment by actively ensuring the mitigation of debris: The Iridium™ way!
Penny Robert E.
Swan Peter A.
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