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Research & Reviews : Journal of Space Science & Technology Review Article

Enhancing Space Safety: A Review of CubeSat Constellations for Tracking Orbital Debris

  1. Trisha Shailesh Salvi Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT School of Engineering & Sciences, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune
  2. Sanjana Sanjay Nalawade Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT School of Engineering & Sciences, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune
  3. Vijaykumar Gorfad Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT School of Engineering & Sciences, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune
  4. Pandi Siddharth Department of Aerospace Engineering, MIT School of Engineering & Sciences, MIT Art, Design and Technology University, Pune

Abstract

Space debris includes any human-made object in orbit or idle. Debris reentering the atmosphere or orbiting the Earth are examples of these things. Debris can include satellites or launch vehicles, dysfunctional spacecraft, remains from rockets and airplanes from crashes or explosions, debris from spacecraft and vehicles that were purposefully expelled during separation or operation, etc. The danger of collisions rises as the number of items in the path increases. Over time, satellite utilization has been increasing steadily. They are used in many different fields and disciplines, including space science, Earth observation, meteorology, climate research, telecommunication, navigation, and human space travel. The number of satellites is growing along with human requirements, which is creating a very serious risk known as space debris. Due to the congested low earth orbit caused by this, it is imperative that space debris be detected. A number of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft have suffered damage or been destroyed due to space junk. Certain space industry participants carry out the measurement, mitigation, and possible removal of debris. To prevent any potential harm, we have examined and studied several publications in this paper that discuss how the constellation of CubeSats will assist us in monitoring space debris. We have also looked into the data fusion analysis, different sensor technologies, constellation designs, and orbital concerns along with an overview of several applicable space debris cleaning strategies.

Keywords

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