Surveillance of Cis-Lunar Space via Space-based Sensor Network

Abstract: Cis-lunar space remains an important habitat for the majority of spacecraft launched intoorbit. As space launch services and missions evolved, the space domain was only destinedto become more congested and logistically complex. As a result, nations reacted to creatingspace monitoring systems such as the United States’ Space Surveillance Network (SSN). Yet,efforts to fully surveil space activities, spacecraft life status and debris dangers have significantdetection limitations for their respective optical and radar sensors. This begs the question: do in-space solutions exist for monitoring the near-Earth resident space object (RSO) populationin cis-lunar space? This study will explore the feasibility of leveraging the Lagrangian pointsof the Earth-Moon system to create an in-space surveillance network that comprehensivelyfills the gaps in current optical and radar surveillance. Ultimately, this will result in a deeper understanding of any significant blind spots in the current ground-based SSN and the feasibility of an in-space surveillance network.

This was the final project to Georgia Tech’s Advanced Orbital Mechanics course (ECE6354) during the Spring semester of 2018. The final .pdf write-up of the project can be read here.