Study of the Force Impact on the Surface of a Space Debris Object during Its Noncontact Removal from Orbit

The article discusses aspects of the force impact on the movement of large space debris objects (SDO) when removing them from low Earth orbits (LEO). Non-contact methods of SDO removal are considered in detail as a promising direction for creating safe and reliable space debris (SD) removal systems. The technical solution for removing the SDO from orbit must be selected taking into account the impact of the environment on the SDO and its motion parameters. The article is based on a detailed review and comparison of existing technical means for removing SDO from orbit. Solutions and approaches are analyzed that take into account the most important scientific research to determine the force effect on the SDO when using non-contact space debris removal systems. To remove SDO from low orbit, it is effective to use the force of aerodynamic drag. One of the means of non-contact removal of SDO from orbit using the atmosphere is inflatable braking devices (IBD), which provide a significant increase in the cross-sectional area. A promising method is non-contact method using an ion beam (IB) for applying force to SDO. The concept of such a device is considered, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of various transportation schemes using IB. The influence of space flight conditions on the movement of a space object during removal from orbit using non-contact methods is analyzed. The simulation results show that the proposed technical solutions can be used to remove space debris from low orbits. The research results make it possible to conduct a comparative analysis of various methods for removing space debris, indicating the scope of their application, main advantages and disadvantages.