학술논문

Empirical model of motion of space debris in the geostationary region.
Document Type
Article
Source
Solar System Research. Mar2016, Vol. 50 Issue 2, p130-135. 6p.
Subject
*SPACE debris
*GEOSTATIONARY satellites
*ASTRONOMICAL observations
*EARTH'S orbit
*OPTICAL astronomy
Language
ISSN
0038-0946
Abstract
Regular optical observations of small-sized space debris on a geosynchronous orbit are carried out at the Terskol Peak Observatory (Kabardino-Balkaria). The aim of these observations is to gather data on technogenic pollution of near-Earth space; discover small-sized space debris, determine their parameters, and catalogue them; and maintain an updated catalogue of orbits. The results obtained by processing topocentric measurements of positions of one such object are presented. This object is distinctive in that it is a small-sized fragment of the Fengyun 2D satellite (international designator 2006-053A) and moves about a Lagrangian point at 75° E with a small amplitude. The observational material was accumulated in 12 twoweek sessions within a 6-year interval from 2009 to 2014. The variability of the ratio of the maximum cross section area to the object mass is revealed, and a model of variations of this parameter is proposed. The basic period of variations is 392 days. The validity of the model was verified in a series of independent observations in March, 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]