A material collection system includes a planar structure, at least one actuator, and a plurality of pull cables. The planar structure includes a plurality of interconnected geometric panels having a plurality of holes therethrough, and each interconnection between two geometric panels defines a foldable coupling. The plurality of pull cables pass through the holes such that a first end of each pull cable is coupled with at least one geometric panel and a second end of each pull cable is coupled with the at least one actuator. The planar structure is operable between a first stable geometric state and a second stable geometric state. An actuation to pull each of the plurality of pull cables transitions the planar structure between the first stable geometric state and the second stable geometric state.

An object is to notify an appropriate intrusion alert by determining whether debris will intrude into an orbit area of a satellite constellation. A passage determination unit (110) determines whether debris will pass through a satellite orbit area, based on satellite orbit forecast information in which a forecast value of an orbit of a satellite is set and debris orbit forecast information in which a forecast value of an orbit of debris is set. When it is determined that debris will pass through the satellite orbit area, an alert generation unit (120) generates an intrusion alert (111) including a predicted time, predicted location coordinates, and predicted velocity vector information that relate to passage of the debris. An alert notification unit (130) notifies the intrusion alert (111) to a management business device (40) used by a management business operator that manages a satellite that flies in the satellite orbit area.

Space traffic is managed using data gathered by orbital sensors. A constellation of near-equatorial orbiting satellites can be established, with each satellite in the constellation including at least one sensor for tracking resident space objects (RSO). The tracking data gathered by these orbital sensors can be fused with previously-gathered orbital tracking data and/or tracking data from ground-based sensors and used to adjust orbital information for the RSOs. The adjusted orbital information for the RSOs can, in turn, be used to issue conjunction warnings, to adjust the orbits of one or more satellites in the constellation (e.g., to intercept a debris object; to intercept a target; to avoid an active spacecraft), and/or to adjust the orbits of one or more other spacecraft (e.g., to avoid debris).

An ionized material sample collection device according to the present invention includes one or a plurality of container's main bodies that each has a surrounding wall and a bottom wall and has a sample entrance in an upper portion of the surrounding wall, a sample impact target that is formed in the bottom portion of each of the container's main bodies, and one or more ionized material collection zones that are formed on at least one of the inner surfaces and the bottom surface of the surrounding wall of each of the container's main bodies. It is preferable that a plurality of the ionized material collection zones be formed on the inner surfaces of the surrounding wall and each of the plurality of ionized material collection zones be an ionized material collection zone which has an affinity for a different element.

A propulsion strengthening member attached to a surface of an object existing in outer space, the propulsion strengthening member includes: a transparent member that transmits an emitted laser; and an opaque member that is provided between the transparent member and the object and absorbs the laser such that at least a part thereof is evaporated by energy of the laser.

An outer space-based debris detection system may include a network of satellites. A first satellite may be configured to propagate a first series of solitary plasma waves through an outer space detection area having a debris body therein. The debris body propagates second plasma waves therefrom. A second satellite associated with the detection area may be configured to receive the first series of solitary plasma waves from the first satellite after interaction with the second plasma waves from the debris body to thereby detect the debris body.

A satellite propelled by laser ablation comprises: a device for managing the attitude and the orbit of the satellite; a device for capturing and potentially for processing the target spaceborne body; a device for external communication; a laser ablation propulsion device comprising one or more lasers and a module for managing the one or more lasers that is suitable for determining the one or more laser beams to be generated on the captured target spaceborne body according to the movement desired for the satellite; and a device for visually inspecting the target spaceborne body.

Provided is a space vehicle that includes: a main body; a movable portion configured to reciprocate in an axial direction with respect to the main body; and a magnetic force generation unit attached to a distal end of the movable portion, and attracts, by a magnetic force, a platelike body attached to an object in outer space. The magnetic force generation unit includes: a magnet support member attached to a distal end of the movable portion via a buffer elastic body; and a plurality of permanent magnets laid on a surface of the magnet support member to form an attraction region. When a drive unit moves the movable portion away from the main body, the attraction region protrudes from the main body while maintaining a fixed orientation crossing the axial direction, and is changeable in position and/or orientation by the buffer elastic body when an external force is applied.

The present invention relates to a service satellite having a body, a controller and a docking unit. The docking unit includes at least two foldable, adjustable gripping arms pivotally mounted on the satellite body, each gripping arm being pivotable relative to the satellite body, and a gripping end at each free end of the gripping arms, wherein the gripping ends are adapted and configured to capture and grip a target portion of an orbiting satellite. Each gripping arm is controllable independently by the controller, which coordinates the motion of the arms. The service satellite also includes a propulsion unit including a first thruster mounted adjacent a Nadir end of the service satellite body, and a balance thruster, the balance thruster being distanced from the first thruster and facing a different direction than the first thruster, propellant for the thruster and the balance thruster; and means for aligning the thrusters so that a thrusting vector passes through a joint center of gravity of the service satellite and the serviced satellite.

A driving mechanism controller included in a capturing device causes one or more driving mechanisms to spread a tethering member having an elongated shape to the outside of a housing by a target spread length. The driving mechanism controller, when an artificial space object is located in the area surrounded by the tethering member, causes the one or more driving mechanisms to retract the tethering member to the inside of the housing until at least a part of the tethering member comes into contact with the artificial space object. The tethering member is stable in a first shape having a curved section orthogonal to a linear extending direction of the tethering member.