Patent Application
20250054295
The present disclosure relates generally to space environment characterization.
Space debris may comprise space junk, space pollution, space waste, space trash, space garbage, or cosmic debris. Notwithstanding, space debris may comprise defunct human made objects in space that may be in Earth orbit that may no longer serve a useful function. Space debris may include derelict spacecraft, nonfunctional spacecraft, and abandoned launch vehicle stages including mission-related debris, and numerous in Earth orbit, fragmentation debris from the breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft. In addition to derelict human made objects left in orbit, other examples of space debris may include fragments from their disintegration, erosion and collisions or even paint flecks, solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft, and unburned particles from solid rocket motors. Space debris may represent a risk to spacecraft for example.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the present disclosure. In the drawings:
Space environment characterization may be provided. First, an area of sky may be selected. Then an image of the area of sky may be captured. Next, a plurality of image objects in the image may be identified. A plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects may then be identified.
Both the foregoing overview and the following example embodiments are examples and explanatory only and should not be considered to restrict the disclosure's scope, as described and claimed. Furthermore, features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those described. For example, embodiments of the disclosure may be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinations described in the example embodiments.
The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the following description to refer to the same or similar elements. While embodiments of the disclosure may be described, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to the disclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description does not limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims.
The need to identify and characterize objects in the space near Earth (including cis-Lunar space) has increased due to the dual factors of additional satellite constellations going on orbit and the results of intentional and accidental collisions in orbit adding exponentially to the debris present. Conventional processes of establishing the debris environment in space involve tracking objects from the ground either by radar or during terminator illumination by optical telescope. Enterprises (e.g., governments) have become concerned by the increased space object count deriving from both the proliferation of new swarm satellite constellations and the residuals from accidental and intentional collisions in space. Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosure may use space optics in a process of detecting smaller debris objects that may not be detectable by conventional processes.
An area of sky around Earth 110 may be selected. An image of the selected area of sky may then be captured by image taking satellite 105. The captured image may comprise a plurality of image objects including, for example, a first image object 115 (e.g., a target satellite). As shown in
Method 200 may begin at starting block 205 and proceed to stage 210 where computing device 300 may select an area of sky. For example, it may be desired to discover the amount of debris that is orbiting the Earth. Debris in the space near Earth (including cis-Lunar space) has increased due to the dual factors of additional satellite constellations going on orbit and the results of intentional and accidental collisions in orbit adding exponentially to the debris present. In order to characterize the space environment around the Earth, an area of sky may be selected to obtain an image. The selected area of sky may comprise, but is not limited to, at least a 1% field of view. A single scan performed by the system may cover an area by addressing at least 1 degree of arc in both the up/down and left/right directions. This may allow sufficient area to get a count of objects that may later be correlated with other similar looks in other parts of earth orbit. Larger areas may be used, but the 1 degree×1 degree geometry may allow for characterization of the overall environment over time.
From stage 210, where computing device 300 selects the area of sky, method 200 may advance to stage 220 where image taking satellite 105 (e.g., under the control of computing device 300) may capture an image of the area of sky. For example, as shown in
Once image taking satellite 105 (e.g., under the control of computing device 300) captures the image of the area of sky in stage 220, method 200 may continue to stage 230 where computing device 300 may identify a plurality of image objects in the image. For example, the image may include objects. To be considered an object included in the plurality of image objects, the included object may comprise at least a predetermined number of pixels (e.g., greater than 4) having a least a predetermined brightness. At least a portion of the plurality of image objects may comprise, for example, Near Earth Objects (NEOs), objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), objects in cis-Lunar space, and objects in geostationary orbit around the earth.
After computing device 300 identifies the plurality of image objects in the image in stage 230, method 200 may proceed to stage 240 where computing device 300 may identify a plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects. For example, the plurality of image objects in the image may comprise both characterized objects and uncharacterized objects. In order to identifying the plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects, a plurality of characterized objects within the plurality of image objects may be determined. Then objects not determined to be the plurality of characterized objects may be determined to be uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects. The number of uncharacterized objects may indicate a density of space debris in a given area of space.
At least a portion of the characterized objects may be stars or other naturally occurring astronomical objects. Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, a star ephemeris may be used to determine that at least a portion of the characterized objects may be stars. A star ephemeris may comprise a database or tables that may provide the trajectory of naturally occurring astronomical objects in the sky that may provide position and possibly velocity over time. Furthermore, at least a portion of the characterized objects may be known satellites. Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, a known satellite ephemeris may be used to determine that at least a portion of the characterized objects may be known satellites. A known satellite ephemeris may comprise a database or tables that may provide the trajectory of known satellites in the sky that may provide position and possibly velocity over time.
As stated above, objects not determined to be the plurality of characterized objects may be determined to be uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects. For example, at least a portion of the uncharacterized objects comprise natural debris. Natural debris may comprise, but is not limited to, destroyed satellites, spent fuel tanks, defunct human made objects, derelict spacecraft, nonfunctional spacecraft, abandoned launch vehicle stages including mission-related debris, fragmentation debris from a breakup of derelict rocket bodies and spacecraft, fragments from their disintegration, erosion, paint flecks, solidified liquids expelled from spacecraft, and unburned particles from solid rocket motors. In addition, at least a portion of the uncharacterized objects comprise maneuvering objects. Maneuvering objects may comprise, but are not limited to, a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites. These low Earth orbit satellites may provide, for example, broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls, etc. These low Earth orbit satellites may provide other functions and may not be limited to providing broadband internet.
Consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, the uncharacterized objects may comprise objects of less than 10 cm (e.g., between 10 cm and 1 cm). Embodiments of the disclosure may be able to detect objects of this size range due to, for example, capturing the image of the area of sky when the area of sky is illuminated by the Sun. Embodiments of the disclosure may be able to detect objects of this size range due to, for example, image taking satellite 105 being in orbit thus being able to capture the image of the area of sky through less and thinner atmosphere than an image taken from the Earth's surface. Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may determine a size of at least one of the uncharacterized objects based on a brightness of the at least one of the uncharacterized objects. Once computing device 300 identifies the plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects in stage 240, method 200 may then end at stage 250.
Computing device 300 may be implemented using a Wi-Fi access point, a tablet device, a mobile device, a smart phone, a telephone, a remote control device, a personal computer, a network computer, a mainframe, a router, a switch, a server cluster, a smart TV-like device, a network storage device, a network relay device, or other similar microcomputer-based device. Computing device 300 may comprise any computer operating environment, such as hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable sender electronic devices, minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Computing device 300 may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices. The aforementioned systems and devices are examples and computing device 300 may comprise other systems or devices.
Embodiments of the disclosure may provide a method comprising: selecting an area of sky; capturing an image of the area of sky; identifying a plurality of image objects in the image; and identifying a plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects. Selecting the area of sky may comprise selecting the area of sky comprising at least a 1% field of view. Capturing the image of the area of sky may comprise capturing the image of the area of sky when the area of sky is illuminated by the Sun.
Identifying the plurality of uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects may comprise: determining a plurality of characterized objects within the plurality of image objects; and determining objects not determined to be the plurality of characterized objects to be uncharacterized objects within the plurality of image objects. Determining the plurality of characterized objects within the plurality of image objects may comprise determining at least a portion of the characterized objects to be stars. Determining the at least a portion of the characterized objects to be stars may comprise using a star ephemeris. Determining the plurality of characterized objects within the plurality of image objects may comprise determining at least a portion of the characterized objects to be known satellites. Determining the at least a portion of the characterized objects to be known satellites may comprise using a known satellite ephemeris. At least a portion of the uncharacterized objects may comprise natural debris. At least a portion of the uncharacterized objects may comprise maneuvering objects. At least one of the uncharacterized objects may comprise an object of less than 10 cm. At least one of the uncharacterized objects may comprise an object of less than 10 cm and greater than 1 cm.
Embodiments of the disclosure may further comprise determining a size of at least one of the uncharacterized objects based on a brightness of the at least one of the uncharacterized objects. At least a portion of the plurality of image objects may comprise Near Earth Objects (NEOs). At least a portion of the plurality of image objects may comprise objects in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). At least a portion of the plurality of image objects may comprise objects in cis-Lunar space. At least a portion of the plurality of image objects may comprise objects in geostationary orbit around the earth.
Embodiments of the disclosure, for example, may be implemented as a computer process (method), a computing system, or as an article of manufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readable media. The computer program product may be a computer storage media readable by a computer system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process. The computer program product may also be a propagated signal on a carrier readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program of instructions for executing a computer process. Accordingly, the present disclosure may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). In other words, embodiments of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. A computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific computer-readable medium examples (a non-exhaustive list), the computer-readable medium may include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via, for instance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
While certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described, other embodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as being associated with data stored in memory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or read from other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storage devices, like hard disks, floppy disks, or a CD-ROM, a carrier wave from the Internet, or other forms of RAM or ROM. Further, the disclosed methods' stages may be modified in any manner, including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages, without departing from the disclosure.
Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in an electrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged or integrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizing a microprocessor, or on a single chip containing electronic elements or microprocessors. Embodiments of the disclosure may also be practiced using other technologies capable of performing logical operations such as, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited to, mechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced within a general purpose computer or in any other circuits or systems.
Embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced via a system-on-a-chip (SOC) where each or many of the element illustrated in
Embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, are described above with reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations of methods, systems, and computer program products according to embodiments of the disclosure. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
While the specification includes examples, the disclosure's scope is indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specification has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example for embodiments of the disclosure.
