Speaker
Description
These 10 last years, the prediction of the space debris survivability during their re-entry and the associated prospective risk on ground are more and more in the scope of scientific researches.
The 2nd of November 2016, two objects were found in South India: a COPV tank near Dindigul and a titanium tank near Karur. They are fragments from ESA’s AVUM upper stage used on the first qualification flight of the VEGA rocket, launched in 2012, which underwent a destructive uncontrolled re-entry. This incident is also a chance, especially since the detailed orbital observations close to the re-entry epoch are known.
In this context, ESA proposed an activity aimed to rebuild the re-entry trajectory and the break-up sequence. First, HTG and R.TECH are in charge of the numerical rebuild with an industrial spacecraft-oriented tool : SCARAB (HTG) and PAMPERO (R.TECH). This should then allow to calibrate re-entry risk verification tools and procedures. IRS will add structural and material tests in the order to help understanding of break-up sequences.
This communication will present the project in more details and will show preliminary results.
