Attitude determination using Satellite Laser Ranging

Ground-based attitude assessment of resident space objects (RSOs) is an open challenge in the field of space sustainability. It is a key problem to solve on the path to a sustainable space environment as an enabling technology for active debris removal (ADR) missions. The current state of the art makes use of data encoded in single dimensional light curves to make statements about the attitude of an RSO, not fully constraining the problem mathematically and requiring 3D models of the object to perform this task. Satellite laser ranging (SLR) has also been used successfully to ascertain the attitude of RSOs in a flat spin but this method has not been generalised to tumbling objects.

In this work, we propose a method for ascertaining the attitude of an RSO through the use of three low-cost Lumi Space SLR stations to an RSO fitted with three Lumi Space commercial off-the-shelf laser retroreflectors (LRRs). We will present the novel numerical method and simulation environment developed to prove this methodology, and we will show results of the spin rate and axis precisions obtained across a wide parameter space of RSO configurations. In particular, we will show that the spin rate precisions obtained are a small fraction of a degree per second and are therefore more than precise enough to provide actionable information to ADR operators.