A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE STUDY OF ORBITAL (SPACE) DEBRIS AT GEOSYNCHRONOUS EARTH ORBIT (GEO) IS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE POPULATION OF OPTICALLY FAINT DEBRIS (V>19TH MAGNITUDE). THIS MAGNITUDE CORRESPONDS TO SIZES NEAR 10 CM AND SMALLER. MOST OBSERVATIONS TO DATE USE 1.0-M CLASS TELESCOPES AND ARE LIMITED TO STUDYING THE POPULATION BRIGHTER THAN 18TH MAGNITUDE. BUT 10-CM AND SMALLER SIZED OBJECTS TRAVELLING AT 1 KM/SEC AT GEO ARE A HAZARD TO OPERATIONAL SPACECRAFT. KNOWLEDGE OF THE POPULATION OF THESE SMALL SIZED (AND OPTICALLY FAINT) OBJECTS CAN ONLY BE OBTAINED WITH THE LARGEST OPTICAL TELESCOPES AT THE BEST OBSERVING SITES.

$144,999FY2015National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNASA

Regents Of The University Of Michigan

Investigators

View source on USAspending →

A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THE STUDY OF ORBITAL (SPACE) DEBRIS AT GEOSYNCHRONOUS EARTH ORBIT (GEO) IS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THE POPULATION OF OPTICALLY FAINT DEBRIS (V>19TH MAGNITUDE). THIS MAGNITUDE CORRESPONDS TO SIZES NEAR 10 CM AND SMALLER. MOST OBSERVATIONS TO DATE USE 1.0-M CLASS TELESCOPES AND ARE LIMITED TO STUDYING THE POPULATION BRIGHTER THAN 18TH MAGNITUDE. BUT 10-CM AND SMALLER SIZED OBJECTS TRAVELLING AT 1 KM/SEC AT GEO ARE A HAZARD TO OPERATIONAL SPACECRAFT. KNOWLEDGE OF THE POPULATION OF THESE SMALL SIZED (AND OPTICALLY FAINT) OBJECTS CAN ONLY BE OBTAINED WITH THE LARGEST OPTICAL TELESCOPES AT THE BEST OBSERVING SITES. · GrantIndex