Takahashi Kazunori, Charles Christine, Boswell Rod W, Ando Akira
Department of Electrical Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan.
Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion Laboratory, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra ACT, 2601, Australia.
Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 26;8(1):14417. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-32697-4.
Space debris removal from Earth orbit by using a satellite is an emergent technological challenge for sustainable human activities in space. In order to de-orbit debris it is necessary to impart a force to decelerate it, resulting in its atmospheric re-entry. A satellite using an energetic plasma beam directed at the debris will need to eject plasma in the opposite direction in a controlled manner in order to maintain a constant distance between it and the debris during the deorbiting mission. By employing a magnetic nozzle plasma thruster having two open source exits, bi-directional plasma ejection can be achieved using a single electric propulsion device. Both the forces exerted on the thruster and the target plate simulating the debris are simultaneously measured in a laboratory space simulation chamber showing that a force decelerating the debris and a zero net force on the thruster can be successfully obtained. These two forces can be individually controlled by external electrical parameters, resulting in the ability to switch the acceleration and deceleration modes of the satellite and the debris removal mode using a single electric propulsion device.
利用卫星清除地球轨道上的空间碎片是人类在太空可持续活动面临的一项紧迫技术挑战。为了使碎片脱离轨道，有必要施加一个力使其减速，从而使其重返大气层。使用高能等离子体束指向碎片的卫星需要以可控方式在相反方向喷射等离子体，以便在脱轨任务期间保持其与碎片之间的恒定距离。通过采用具有两个开放源出口的磁喷嘴等离子体推进器，可以使用单个电推进装置实现双向等离子体喷射。在实验室空间模拟室中同时测量作用在推进器和模拟碎片的靶板上的力，结果表明可以成功获得使碎片减速的力以及推进器上的零净力。这两个力可以通过外部电参数单独控制，从而能够使用单个电推进装置切换卫星的加速和减速模式以及碎片清除模式。
