Date of Award

6-2024

Degree Name

MS in Aerospace Engineering

Department/Program

Aerospace Engineering

College

College of Engineering

Advisor

Kira Abercromby

Advisor Department

Aerospace Engineering

Advisor College

College of Engineering

Abstract

In the upcoming decade, the proliferation of high-LEO constellations is expected to exceed 20,000 objects, yet comprehensive Post Mission Disposal (PMD) strategies for these constellations are currently lacking. With the inherent challenges of efficiently deorbiting satellites from High-LEO orbits, there arises an urgent need to explore innovative approaches. Building upon insights garnered from the ReDSHIFT project and anticipating the proliferation of high-LEO constellations such as OneWeb, TeleSat, and GuoWang, this thesis delves into the potential viability of the Resonance Corridor Method for PMD. The investigation encompasses key metrics, including deorbit timelines and $\Delta v$ requirements to meet regulatory standards or recommendations, with comparisons drawn against alternative methods like Perigee Decrease and Graveyard Orbit solutions. Through this analysis, scenarios emerge where the Resonance Corridor method demonstrates advantages, offering feasible delta-v values while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and recommendations. The findings yield categorizations of high-LEO constellation shells into specific disposal feasibility groups, thereby providing valuable insights into how space sustainability practices can be added into spacecraft design to align with evolving space debris mitigation standards. Additionally, certain altitude-inclination combinations are found to naturally align with the resonance corridor method, while others necessitate minor architectural adjustments to optimize effectiveness.

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