MITIGATION OF ORBITING SPACE DEBRIS BY MOMENTUM EXCHANGE WITH DRAG-INDUCING PARTICLES
A cloud of small to medium-sized space debris is mitigated by releasing drag-reducing particles into the cloud from a dispenser vehicle, causing the particles to collide or otherwise interact with, and thereby exchange momentum with, the debris particles, reducing the orbiting velocity of the debris to a degree sufficient to cause the debris to de-orbit, or to accelerate the de-orbiting of the debris, to Earth. Certain embodiments also include a shepherd vehicle containing systems for identifying and tracking the debris cloud and for coalescing the debris cloud to increase the particles density in the cloud.
1 . A process for mitigating the presence of debris particles in an Earth orbit, said process comprising:
(a) launching into space a vehicle carrying a payload that upon ejection from said vehicle forms drag-inducing particles, and (b) ejecting said payload from said vehicle to place said drag-inducing particles into an Earth orbit that intersects with said Earth orbit of said debris particles, such that said drag-inducing particles exchange momentum with said debris particles and thereby alter said Earth orbit of said debris particles.
2 . The process of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises altering said Earth orbit of said debris particles in a manner that accelerates de-orbiting of said debris particles.
3 . The process of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises causing a reduction of orbital velocity of said drag-inducing particles and thereby accelerating de-orbiting of said debris particles.
4 . The process of claim 1 wherein said Earth orbits of both said debris particles and said drag-inducing particles are low Earth orbits.
5 . The process of claim 1 wherein said debris particles are from about 0.1 cm to about 10 cm in size.
6 . The process of claim 1 further comprising tracking said Earth orbit of said debris particles to locate an orbital node of said debris particles, and wherein step (b) comprises causing said drag-inducing particles to exchange momentum with said debris particles in proximity to said orbital node.
7 . The process of claim 1 wherein said Earth orbit of said debris particles and said Earth orbit of said drag-inducing particles are substantially coincident but opposite in directions.
8 . The process of claim 1 wherein said drag-inducing particles are solid particles.
9 . The process of claim 1 wherein said drag-inducing particles are liquid particles.
10 . The process of claim 1 wherein said drag-inducing particles are gas particles.
11 . The process of claim 1 wherein said drag-inducing particles are charged particles.
12 . The process of claim 1 wherein said debris particles comprise a debris cloud, said vehicle of step (a) is defined as a dispenser vehicle, and said process further comprises launching a vehicle defined as a shepherd vehicle, said shepherd vehicle comprising means for coalescing said debris cloud prior to step (b) to produce an increase in concentration of said debris particles in said cloud.
13 . The process of claim 2 wherein said debris particles comprise a debris cloud, said vehicle of step (a) is defined as a dispenser vehicle, and said process further comprises launching a vehicle defined as a shepherd vehicle, said shepherd vehicle comprising means for coalescing said debris cloud prior to step (b) to produce an increase in concentration of said debris particles in said cloud.
14 . The process of claim 3 wherein said debris particles comprise a debris cloud, said vehicle of step (a) is defined as a dispenser vehicle, and said process further comprises launching a vehicle defined as a shepherd vehicle, said shepherd vehicle comprising means for coalescing said debris cloud prior to step (b) to produce an increase in concentration of said debris particles in said cloud.
15 . The process of claim 12 wherein said shepherd vehicle further comprises means for identifying said debris cloud and tracking said debris cloud.
16 . The process of claim 12 wherein said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises means for projecting a magnetic field, and said process further comprises projecting said magnetic field into said debris cloud to cause said coalescence.
17 . The process of claim 12 wherein said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises a particle-ablating laser, radiofrequency, or microwave beam, and said process further comprises directing pulsed laser energy from said particle-ablating laser, radiofrequency energy, or a microwave beam at said debris cloud to produce a propulsive impulse sufficient to cause said coalescence.
18 . The process of claim 12 wherein said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises means for projecting a charged particle beam, and said process further comprises projecting said charged particle beam into said debris cloud to impart an electric charge to a portion of said debris cloud sufficient to cause said coalescence.
19 . The process of claim 12 wherein said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises means for forming a wake behind said dispenser vehicle, and said process further comprises forming said wake and dispensing said drag-inducing particles into said wake.
20 . The process of claim 12 wherein said debris cloud has a center of mass, and said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises means for directing particles of said debris cloud toward said center of mass.
21 . The process of claim 12 wherein said debris cloud has a center of mass, and said means for coalescing said debris cloud comprises means for directing particles of said debris cloud toward said center of mass while said center of mass is in proximity to said orbital node.
22 . The process of claim 12 wherein said drag-inducing particles are solid particles.
23 . The process of claim 12 wherein said drag-inducing particles are liquid particles.
24 . The process of claim 12 wherein said drag-inducing particles are gas particles.
25 . The process of claim 12 wherein said drag-inducing particles are charged particles.