METHOD FOR DETECTING SPACE DEBRIS OBJECTS AND POINTING SPACECRAFT AT THEM USING LASER SCANNING OF SPACE Russian patent published in 2024 - IPC B64G1/66 

FIELD: space technologies.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to methods and means for detecting and identifying space debris objects (SDO) in near-Earth space. On board the spacecraft (SC), preliminary parameters of the orbits and geometry of the SDO are received from the Earth. A search and collection spacecraft is placed in orbit near the SDO. The search for the SDO is performed using four high-resolution rotating cameras with a circular view of the SDO area. A map of the location of the SDO is formed on board the spacecraft for their subsequent selection. The space is scanned from the spacecraft with laser rangefinders in a spiral with a step size of half the linear size of the SDO in the direction from the centre of the detected or suspected (according to data from the Earth) SDO. A separate laser range finder scans the detected SDO to clarify its linear dimensions and relief. The described operations are performed constantly, recording new ones and clarifying the parameters of the detected SDO.

EFFECT: increasing the accuracy and efficiency of detecting and pointing a spacecraft at the SDO.

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