Feasibility analysis of large-size space debris de-orbiting from near-Earth orbits with respect to the initial mass of a fuelled SC-collector

Analysis of the efficiency of two basic strategies for reorbiting of large-scale space debris objects (SDO) to disposal orbit (DO) is given. It is assumed that for such missions a special spacecraft (SC) is designed and manufactured and that an SDO can be reorbited to a DO in two ways. Under the first reeorbiting variant, it is assumed an SC-collector is equipped with special modules (TDK) which can be fixed on an SDO and which are capable (independently of the SC-collector) of reorbiting an object to a DO. Under the second reeorbiting variant, an SC-collector operates as a tow vehicle, transfers objects to DOs, and then returns to the next in line object. The efficiency of both reeorbiting variants for LEO and GEO SDOs can be properly compared only under accurate consideration of the required initial mass of the SC-collector. Copyright © 2019 by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). All rights reserved.