Spacecraft for space debris removal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10717549-B2
Application number	US-201715786209-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2017
Priority date	Nov 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 21, 2020
Grant date	Jul 21, 2020

Abstract

A spacecraft for removing space debris is disclosed. The spacecraft includes a satellite bus, a shield member foldable on an outer side face of the satellite bus and disposed facing towards space debris to reduce a movement speed of the space debris, and a support member configured to support the shield member with respect to the satellite bus, in which the shield member includes a central panel configured to overlap one face of the satellite bus, a plurality of first panels connected to peripheral sides of the central panel and radially extended, and a plurality of second panels located between the first panels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spacecraft for removing space debris, the spacecraft comprising:
a satellite bus;
a shield member variably foldable on an outer side face of the satellite bus and disposed facing towards space debris to reduce a movement speed of the space debris;
a support member configured to support the shield member with respect to the satellite bus,
a speed control thrust member configured to control a movement speed of the satellite bus such that the satellite bus is able to approach the space debris or move away from the space debris; and
an attitude control thrust member configured to adjust an attitude of the satellite bus such that the shield member faces towards the space debris or avoids the space debris;
wherein:
the shield member comprises
a central panel configured to overlap one face of the satellite bus,
a plurality of first panels connected to peripheral sides of the central panel and radially extended, and
a plurality of second panels connected between the first panels,

wherein the speed control thrust member and the attitude control thrust member are disposed on one face or another face of the satellite bus,
wherein the attitude control thrust member is configured to control the shield member to face towards the earth, and the speed control thrust member is configured to add an earth-direction speed to the space debris and lower an altitude of the space debris.

2. The spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the satellite bus is provided in a form of a polygonal column,
the first panels correspond in number to faces of the satellite bus, and are configured to overlap the outer side face of the satellite bus, and
the second panels overlap the first panels.

3. The spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein, when the first panels and the second panels are unfolded, the shield member is transformed into a form of a disc or a basket.

4. The spacecraft of claim 1 , wherein the support member is provided in a contractible or expandable structure, and
while the shield member is being unfolded, one end of the support member is connected to one face of the satellite bus, and another end of the support member is connected to a back face of the central panel.

5. The spacecraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a detection member provided at a center of the central panel and configured to detect the space debris, wherein the detection member is configured to measure the movement speed of the space debris or a distance between the space debris and the shield member.

6. The spacecraft of claim 1 , further comprising:
a solar array connected to a side face of the satellite bus and configured to convert solar energy to electrical energy in outer space;

a connection member hingedly connected to the side face of the satellite bus; and
a driving member provided in the connection member and configured to rotate the solar array on a drive shaft,
wherein the solar array and the driving member rotate together by a rotation of the connection member.

7. The spacecraft of claim 6 , wherein solar cells are provided on one face of the solar array, and not provided on another face of the solar array, and
the solar array is folded, by the connection member, in a direction in which the solar array is separated further from the shield member, on the side face of the satellite bus, to be parallel to the satellite bus.

8. The spacecraft of claim 6 , wherein the connection member is provided in an L shape,
wherein a vertex portion in the L shape is hingedly connected to the side face of the satellite bus, and a longitudinally extended portion in the L shape covers an opening formed on the side face of the satellite bus and a laterally extended portion in the L shape is inserted in the satellite bus,
wherein the longitudinally extended portion in the L shape rotates on the vertex portion in the L shape outside the satellite bus, and the laterally extended portion in the L shape rotates on the vertex portion in the L shape inside the satellite bus.

9. The spacecraft of claim 7 , wherein:
the controller is in communication with the driving member and the solar array,
the controller is configured to move the solar array in response to approaching debris, and
when the space debris approaches, the solar array is rotated by the driving member such that one face of the solar array is disposed in a direction opposite to that of the shield member, and then is folded in a direction in which the solar array is separated further from the shield member, on the side face of the satellite bus, by the connection member such that one face of the solar array is parallel to the side face of the satellite bus.

10. The spacecraft of claim 7 , further comprising:
an insulation member provided in the connection member and configured to prevent the driving member from being externally exposed.

11. A spacecraft for removing space debris, comprising:
a satellite bus;
a shield member connected to the satellite bus and configured to reduce a movement speed of space debris;
a detection member provided in a front side of the shield member and configured to obtain information associated with the space debris; and
a controller configured to control an operation of the satellite bus or the shield member based on the information associated with the space debris that is obtained by the detection member,
wherein the controller is configured to control a movement speed of the satellite bus, an attitude of the satellite bus, or a degree of spread of the shield member, based on external information, a relative speed or the movement speed of the space debris,
wherein, when the space debris is captured by the shield member, the controller is configured to control the movement speed of the satellite bus, change the attitude of the satellite bus to allow the shield member to face towards the space debris, and control the degree of spread of the shield member such that the shield member is able to accommodate the space debris,
wherein, when the space debris is captured in the shield member, the controller is configured to maintain the movement speed of the satellite bus to be less than the movement speed of the space debris, and control the movement speed of the satellite bus to allow the movement speed of the space debris to reach a preset speed,
wherein the controller is configured to change the attitude of the satellite bus such that the shield member faces towards the earth, and increase the movement speed of the satellite bus to add an earth-direction speed to the space debris.

12. The spacecraft of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control the movement speed of the satellite bus to be greater than the movement speed of the space debris such that the satellite bus is positioned in front of the space debris in a travelling direction of the space debris.

13. The spacecraft of claim 11 , wherein, in response to the movement speed of the space debris being reduced by the shield member, the controller is configured to change the attitude of the satellite bus such that the shield member avoids the space debris, and increase the movement speed of the satellite bus such that the shield member moves further away from the space debris.

14. A method of controlling a spacecraft for removing space debris, the method comprising:
moving, in outer space, the spacecraft comprising a satellite bus, a shield member connected to the satellite bus, and a detection member provided in a front side of the shield member and configured to obtain information associated with space debris;
obtaining, by the detection member, the information associated with t

Assignees

• Korea Aerospace Res Inst

Inventors

• Choi Joon Min

Classifications

• B64G1/2222

  Folding · CPC title

• B64G1/1081 Primary

  for debris removal · CPC title

• B64G1/242

  Orbits and trajectories · CPC title

• B64G1/56

  Protection against meteoroids or space debris · CPC title

• B64G1/44

  using radiation, e.g. deployable solar arrays · CPC title