The European Space Agency Tender

At The Core Of The Zero Debris Policy And The Associated Design And Operations Standard Is The Need To Limit The Collision Risk Taken By Objects On Orbit That Can Lead To A Break-up That Creates A Significant Amount Of Follow-up Fragments. This Is Encoded In The Limiting The Collision Probability With Object Larger Than 1 Cm To Be Below 1 In 1000 After End Of Life Of A Mission. The 1cm Size Regime Is Not Directly And Regularly Observable From Ground But Derived From Breakup Model Predictions For Explosion And Collision Events, And Hence Associated With Large Uncertainties. The Last Decade Of Research Has Provided Indications That The Space Debris Population For These Events Can Be Broken Down In Material Sizes And Shapes, Which Lead To Different Risks Spacecraft Level And Hence Affect The Compliance. Accounting For A Diverse Space Object Population Coupled With Increased Traffic Levels Is Currently Beyond The Existing Leading And Operational Space Debris Environment Models, Requiring A Major Revision To Guide Design Work. In Addition, A Mapping Of Active Space Object And Forecast Is Needed For Space Traffic Requirements.adding Additional, Or Splitting, Space Debris Sources To And Environment Model Involves The Entire Processing Chain And The Interfaces, And Re-analysing Past Model Calibrations In The New Framework. It Is Thus Expected That Both Historical And Future Population Are Updated Accordingly.