KYBER:�Terra Based System for Laser Vaporization of Low Earth Orbital Debris

ASTE527 Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio

Carolina Rocha

We Are Completely Surrounded

• Over 500,000 pieces of debris orbit the Earth
• Travels as speeds > 17,500 mph
• Collisions only make it worse
• Example: 2009 - Russian satellite crashed into functioning American satellite adding more than 2,000 pieces of space junk
• Kessler syndrome
• Natural meteoroid environment not a threat (except high speed streams)

We need a

way into

SPACE

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Quantity

will continue increasing

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ASRA has identified the urgency for debris mitigation

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National Space Council tasked NASA to ensure Space Debris problem is addressed

Clearing Some Space

clean and clear orbital regime for all missions

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Thousands more

satellites and orbiting bodies to be launched

Current Defense System

Must protect

HIGH VALUE ASSET

TARGETS

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ISS CAN ONLY DEFEND AGAINST DEBRIS SMALLER THAN 1 CM

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• Whipple Bumper
• Multi-shock (or stuffed Whipple) shield
• Mesh double-bumper shield

Global Collaboration

Private sector

Offshoot of UN/OOSA Action Team 14

Tracking Debris

SSN tracking since Sputnik

• 87% of what they track is debris/defunct spacecraft
• 8% is rocket bodies
• 5% is functioning assets

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ESA has the SST

KYBER to target

debris smaller than 2 cm

KYBER System Placement

Strategic High Altitude Geographic locations along ISS ground track

Africa, China, Peru, Hawai’i, India, Alps, Sierras are just some examples

ISS inclination: 51.6ᵒ

KYBER System

Based on:

• DE-STAR program
• Breakthrough StarShot
• Orion Project/Laser Broom

Laser output is approaching the capabilities of 1kW/kg

How does it work?

At low twilight or dawn, illuminate these very small objects that may have intersecting orbits and zap them

Adaptive Optics

Targeting through the atmosphere

Laser Broom Concept

Each KYBER system would consist of a battery of up to 12 solid state thin-disk laser systems with a total laser power output approaching 100kW

KYBER - Based on DESTAR Concept

KYBER System

Benefits

• Very versatile application
• Can move both large and small debris
• Remediation as well as changing orbits
• Space launch unnecessary, thus no introduction of new debris
• Targeted debris does not break into smaller pieces
• Could allow for controlled reentry of larger debris

Drawbacks

• Cannot hit functioning satellites
• Potential for political issues
• What if a military satellite gets hit? War?
• Could be portrayed as space weapon - militarizing space
• Russia controls a large number of satellites in LEO
• “Removing only Russian rocket bodies from LEO could reduce future shrapnel creation by nearly 62 percent.”

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Future Studies

Manage or deorbit failed or decommissioned LEO stations

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Deterrent against weapons of mass destruction

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Planetary Defense for both Earth and Moon based assets

Questions ?

Thank you.

References (1/3)

• Anzaldua, A., Dunlop, D.,(2017) Why The US And Russia Should Work Together To Clean Up Orbital Debris, The Space Review, http://www.thespacereview.com/article/3156/1
• Bailey, N., Perna, L.,(2017) Electric Rockets and the Future of Satellite Propulsion, Accion Systems, Boston, http://www.aerodefensetech.com/component/content/article/adt/features/articles/26679
• Battison, R., etal(2017) A Systematic Study Of Laser Ablation For Space Debris Mitigation, Journal of Space Safety Engineering Volume 4, Issue 1, March 2017, Pages 36-44http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468896717300137#bib0007
• Bekey, I., Campbell, J.W.,(1996) Project ORION: Obrital Debris Removal Using Ground Based Sensors and Lasers, NASA TM 108522, NASA Marshall SpaceFlight Center, Alabama https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19960054373.pdf
• Betts, B.,(2013) Laser Bees Update , Planetary Report, The Planetary Society, http://www.planetary.org/blogs/bruce-betts/20131029-laser-bees-update.html
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• Burke, J., Hussein, A., Soni, A., Thangavelu, M., Schmidt, N., & Wilson, T. (2015). Planetary defence: a duty for world defenders.
• Cartwright, J.,(2011) Lasers Could Nudge Space Debris Aside, Nature, doi:10.1038/news.2011.161 http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110315/full/news.2011.161.html
• Choi, C.Q., Gecko-Inspired Robot Could Snag Space Junk, Space.com (https://www.space.com/37335-robotic-gecko-gripper-microgravity-space-junk.html
• Choi, S.H., Pappa, R.S.,(2017) Assessment Study of Small Space Debris Removal by Laser Satellites, NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA 23681 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20120009369.pdf
• Clark, S.,(2015) NASA: Tracking CubeSats is easy, but many stay in orbit too long, Spaceflight Nowhttps://spaceflightnow.com/2015/07/30/nasa-tracking-cubesats-is-easy-but-many-stay-in-orbit-too-long/
• David, L.,(2013) 'Sling-Sat' Could Remove Space Junk on the Cheap, Space.com https://www.space.com/20024-space-junk-removal-sling-sat.html
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References (2/3)

• Howell, E., (2017) This Ultrathin Craft Could Soon Envelop and Destroy Space Junk, Space.com https://www.space.com/38105-ultrathin-craft-could-destroy-space-junk.html
• Huegel, H., Bonn, W.L.,(1998) Solid State Thin Disk Laser, Proceedings Volume 3574, Twelfth International Symposium on Gas Flow and Chemical Lasers and High-Power Laser Conference, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation (1998); doi: 10.1117/12.334426 https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/3574/1/Solid-state-thin-disk-laser/10.1117/12.334426.full?SSO=
• Kessler, D. J., Reynolds, R. C., & Anz-Meador, P. D. (1989). Orbital debris environment for spacecraft designed to operate in low Earth orbit (No. NASA-TM-100-471). NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON DC.
• Kubota,T.,(2017) Stanford Engineers Design A Robotic Gripper For Cleaning Up Space Debris, Stanford News Service, Stanford University http://news.stanford.edu/press/view/15235
• Liou, J. C., & Johnson, N. L. (2006). Risks in space from orbiting debris. SCIENCE-NEW YORK THEN WASHINGTON-, 311(5759), 340.
• Liou, J. C., Matney, M. J., Anz-Meador, P. D., Kessler, D., Jansen, M., & Theall, J. R. (2002). The new NASA orbital debris engineering model ORDEM2000.
• Lubin, P.M. DE-STAR : Directed Energy Planetary Defense, UCSB Experimental Cosmology Group, http://www.deepspace.ucsb.edu/projects/directed-energy-planetary-defense
• Lubin, P.M., etal(2014) Toward Directed Energy Planetary Defense, Optical Engineering 53(2), 025103 (February 2014) http://www.deepspace.ucsb.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/SPIE-Optical-Engineering-Towards-Directed-Energy-Planetary-Defense-Lubin-at-al-2014.pdf
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• Miller, C.,(2015) Advanced Propellants for Scalable, Multipurpose Electrospray Ion Thrusters, Hall,L.ed., NASA, MIT. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/advanced-propellants-for-scalable-multipurpose-electrospray-ion-thrusters
• MIT(2015)Electrospray Propulsion, MIT Open Courseware, Space Propulsion, Section 20 https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/aeronautics-and-astronautics/16-522-space-propulsion-spring-2015/lecture-notes/MIT16_522S15_Lecture20.pdf
• Phipps, C.R., etal(2012) Removing Orbital Debris with Lasers, Advances in Space Research Volume 49, Issue 9, 1 May 2012, Pages 1283-1300 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273117712001020
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Image Credit:

• Red Bubble, Pencil to Paper IMAGE https://ih0.redbubble.net/image.376368387.5153/flat,800x800,070,f.u2.jpg
• The Market For Ideas. IMAGE. http://www.themarketforideas.com/space-debris-visualizing-the-risk-and-informing-stakeholders-a119/
• Smurfit Kappa Open the Future IMAGE http://www.openthefuture.info
• Google Vorontsov Phased Array IMAGE https://www.google.com/search?q=vorontsov+phased+array&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRqqnpv93XAhUHHGMKHdqkD9cQ_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=669#imgrc=STZfRnGS3BK68M

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