Trajectory and Footprint Analysis of ATV-1 Re-Entry Fragments and Safety Implications
Abstract
ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-1) performed a cont rolled destructive re-entry on Monday 29 September 2008. It broke up at an altitude of ~75 km with the remaining fragments falling into the Ocean. To observe and characterise the events occurring during the re- entry, a joint ESA/NASA multi-instrument aircraft observation campaign was performed using two high altitude aircraft equipped with a suite of optical instruments. The collected data was analysed under an E SA contract by GMV and an industrial consortium. This paper presents specifically the methodology and results of the trajectory estimation and footprint analysis performed afte r the ATV1 carried out by GMV.
- Publication:
-
A Safer Space for Safer World
- Pub Date:
- January 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012ESASP.699E..86G