Apr 29, 2025

US12286248 - Space debris detection and mitigation with a network of deployed observatories

A space debris removing device, system and method are disclosed. The system comprises a central server, a primary detection node, at least two secondary tracer nodes, the central server is configured to assign a tertiary node to track the debris with laser, wherein the tertiary node is configured to mark the debris being tracked with the laser, creating a laser illuminated target (LIT), a tertiary tracking unit deployed at the tertiary node, and a ground-based kilowatt laser system configured to pick up the LIT by using one or more optical sensors and tackle the debris with a high power laser beam.

Inventors: Muhammad Akbar Hussain, Muhammad Mehdi Hussain, Muhammad Waqar Haider, Muhammad Ayaz Hussain
Filing date: 2023-12-28

This patent describes a system for detecting and mitigating space debris using a network of nodes that track debris with lasers and a ground-based kilowatt laser system. The system includes a central server, primary and secondary detection nodes, and a tertiary node that marks debris to facilitate its removal.

Claim 1

A system for detection and mitigation of space debris comprising: a central server, a primary detection node having a primary detection unit that detects a debris using one or more optical sensors, the primary detection node is communicatively connected to the central server, at least two secondary tracer nod es communicatively connected to the central server, the at least two secondary tracer nodes include at least two secondary tracer units, the central server is configured to assign a tertiary node to track the debris with a first laser beam, wherein the tertiary node is configured to mark the debris being tracked with the first laser beam, creating a laser illuminated target (LIT), a tertiary tracking unit deployed at the tertiary node, the tertiary tracking unit is communicatively connected to the central server, and a ground-based kilowatt laser system configured to pick-up the LIT by using one or more optical sensors and tackle to deorbit the debris with a high power laser beam of the ground-based kilowatt laser system.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12286248

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12286248