A new large area detector for in-situ observation of small anthropogenic debris in Low Earth Orbit - SAILOR

Varga, Bence, Mezohegyi, Gergo, Keseru, Norbert, Milankovich, Dorottya, Puttich, Gemar, Burchell, Mark J., Wozniakiewicz, Penelope J. (2025) A new large area detector for in-situ observation of small anthropogenic debris in Low Earth Orbit - SAILOR. In: Proceedings of the 9th European Conference on Space Debris. ESA Space Debris Office (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:110958)

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Abstract

Data on the flux of orbital debris in the critical size range of 0.1 – 50 mm is urgently needed. To obtain it, a large area detector (SAILOR) using thin deorbit sails (or drag sails) with acoustic sensors and a camera imaging system is proposed. The acoustic sensors will give impact time and a rough estimation of impact location and hole size on the sail. A pair of such sails, one behind the other, will provide impactor speed (to ± a few %) and trajectory (to ± a few degrees). The optical detector system will image the holes in the sails, providing hole shape and a separate measure of hole size (good to ± a few %). A 3-year mission, SAILOR, would be launched in 2029 to a sunsynchronous, near-polar orbit at 850 km, consisting of one spacecraft with a 25 m2 exposed area. Given the expected flux, this should provide space debris measurements in the critical mm-sized regime.

Item Type:	Conference proceeding
Uncontrolled keywords:	Orbital debris
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy
Institutional Unit:	Schools > School of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics > Physics and Astronomy
Former Institutional Unit:	There are no former institutional units.
Depositing User:	Mark Burchell
Date Deposited:	14 Aug 2025 09:23 UTC
Last Modified:	14 Aug 2026 09:46 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/110958 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Burchell, Mark J..

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2680-8943
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Wozniakiewicz, Penelope J..

Creator's ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1441-4883
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

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