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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The goal of this research is to develop methodology to track a cluster of objects following a breakup event in Earth orbit, such as the resulting dispersion of debris after a collision, or small satellites after a mass launch. This topic has seen little research, particularly in space-based application of cluster tracking. The main challenge in this research will arise from taking ideas and strategies of cluster tracking from vastly different fields of research, and finding ways to adapt and incorporate them into the astrodynamics framework. The primary methodologies for this research will consist of mathematical manipulation of dynamic equations of motion and probability distributions, developing and coding algorithms which implement the derived solution, and developing accurate simulations to test and analyze the performance of these algorithms. The expected results of this research will culminate in a set of algorithms, working together in series, to track a breakup even through several phases, with smooth and efficient transitions in between. This set of algorithms will be able to start tracking a tight cluster of objects as a single target with extent and efficiently track the dispersion of these objects, finally resulting in separate tracks for each individual object.
This project will improve satellite cluster tracking and could also be useful in tracking the aftermath of a debris-producing collision in Earth-orbit.
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