Attitude determination of cylindrical rocket bodies by using simultaneous bistatic photometric measurements.

Hrobar, T.; Silha, J.; Zigo, M.; Jevcak, P.; Patole, P.; Schildknecht, T. (2023). Attitude determination of cylindrical rocket bodies by using simultaneous bistatic photometric measurements. In: Proceedings of 24th AMOS conference. Maui Economic Development Board

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The rocket bodies, as a part of the space debris population, poses a significant threat and are one of the prime targets for active debris removal (ADR) missions due to their large size and orbital regimes. Accurate monitoring of their dynamic properties like rotation period and tumbling axis is crucial for predicting their orientation and assisting potential applicable ADR missions.
We determine the tumbling axis direction using the low-resolution Williams model [1] based on our own photometric measurements. This model is ideal for cylindrical objects, assuming rotation around an axis perpendicular to the central axis in body-fixed reference frame. From the brightness ratio, which represents the difference between maximum and minimum brightness values during one rotation, it can estimated the possible tumbling axis orientation. The brightness ratio depends on the object’s position, tumbling axis orientation, and observer’s location. Typically, when both the observer’s location and object’s position are known, we can derive the brightness ratio from the series photometric measurements.
This method requires at least two observations from different perspectives over a relatively short period, as large changes in the tumbling axis are not expected by the model. Collecting data simultaneously from two different locations helps meet these challenges in the most effective way.
We present tumbling axis estimations for CZ-3B, H-2A and FALCON 9 rocket bodies, selected as calibration test objects. They are expected to rotate about an axis perpendicular to their central axis due to their moments of inertia. These objects mainly reflect light from their mantle, aligning well with the Williams model [1]. Our results are based on photometric measurements from two telescopes, AGO70 located in Slovakia and ZIMLAT located in Switzerland, focusing on CZ-3B, H-2A and FALCON 9 upper stages with eccentric orbits and low perigee distances, simulating near-future re-entries and close-range observations of LEO objects. This approach aims to establish a methodology applicable to LEO objects, as potential targets for future ADR missions.

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