US Patent:
20130181061, Jul 18, 2013
Inventors:
Christian B. Carpenter - Monroe WA, US
David Q. King - Woodinville WA, US
Robert K. Masse - Redmond WA, US
Charles Sota - Kirkland WA, US
Robert H. Bagshaw - Sammamish WA, US
Philip R. Horkin - Carnation WA, US
David P. Patterson - Bellevue WA, US
Assignee:
AeroJet-General Corporation - Sacramento CA
International Classification:
B64D 1/16
Abstract:
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.