Stochastic modeling of hypervelocity impacts in attitude propagation of space debris

Bombardment of orbital debris and micrometeoroids on active and inoperative satellites is becoming an increasing threat to space operations and has significant consequences on space missions. Concerns with orbital debris have led agencies to start developing debris removal missions and knowing a target's rotational parameters ahead of time is crucial to the eventual success of such a mission. A new method is proposed, enabling the inclusion of hypervelocity impacts into spacecraft attitude propagation models by considering the transfer of angular momentum from collisions as a stochastic jump process. Furthermore, the additional momentum transfer due to ejecta created during these hypervelocity impacts, an effect known as momentum enhancement, is considered. In order to assess the importance of collisions on attitude propagation, the developed model is applied to two pieces of space debris by using impact fluxes from ESA's Meteoroid and Space Debris Terrestrial Environment Reference (MASTER) model. (C) 2016 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.