Adam E. White

Bio: Adam E. White is an academic researcher from University of Southampton. The author has contributed to research in topics: Population & Situation awareness. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 7 publications receiving 115 citations.

Clouds in space: scientific computing using Windows Azure

Abstract: In this paper we report upon the cloud-based solution that we designed and implemented for space situational awareness. We begin by introducing the background to the work and to the area of space situational awareness. This concerns tracking the hundreds of thousands of known objects in near-Earth orbits, and determining where it is necessary for satellite operators to conduct collision-avoidance manoeuvres to protect their satellites. We also discuss active debris removal, which would be necessary to stabilise the debris population at current levels. We examine the strengths that cloud-based solutions offer in general and how these specifically fit to the challenges of space situational awareness, before describing the architecture we designed for this problem. We demonstrate the feasibility of solving the space situational awareness problem with a cloud-based architecture and note that as time goes on and debris levels rise due to future collisions, the inherent scalability offered by a cloud-based solution will be invaluable.

Hybrid modeling and analysis method for dynamic coupling of space robots

Abstract: Resolving linear and angular momentum conservation equations in different ways, a hybrid method was proposed to model and analyze the dynamic coupling of a space robotic system. This method dealt with the coupling problems for the base’s centroid position at the position level and attitude at the velocity level. Based on the base centroid virtual manipulator concept, the coupled space was addressed to represent the base’s centroid position coupling. For different cases, the reachable coupled space, attitude-constrained coupled space, and free coupled space were defined. However, the coupling for the base’s velocities was decomposed into joint-to-base rotation, joint-to-base translation, end-to-base rotation, and end-to-base translation coupling types. The dependence of the rotation and translation coupling was revealed, and the coupling factors were determined to measure the coupling degree. Then, the coupling effect for different loads, installation positions, and joint configurations was analyzed. Coupled maps were established to plan the trajectory for minimizing disturbance. Compared with previous works, dynamic coupling at the position level avoids the singularity problem for solving differential equations; at the velocity level, each type of coupling motion was separately modeled and analyzed for different requirements. The proposed method is useful for practicalapplications, such as designing a new manipulator or using an existing robotic system.

Orbital Debris Threat for Space Sustainability and Way Forward (Review Article)

Abstract: Over the past 60 years, satellite technology has demonstrated its usefulness successfully. However, this usefulness is at stake from a future point of view, due to the well-admitted orbital/space debris threat. This article thoroughly reviews all aspects of space debris issue including causes, amount and sizes of orbital debris, potential threats, counter-strategies with their latest status and related legal issues to highlight the criticality and urgency of the problem. This review elaborates the fact that despite all the worries and threats, the efforts to confront this challenge are considerably insufficient until today. This bitter reality demands for at-least curtailing the number of future launches to ensure the long-term sustainability of space, until the improvement in debris situation. However, contradictory to this necessity, large satellite constellations have been proposed that can drastically increase the existing orbital population in coming years. This approach will certainly not help in improving the space environment in the future; instead, it can worsen the space environment situation as recent studies shows. Also, space resources (i.e. orbital slots and frequencies) are limited to accommodate many more satellite projects from commercial and government organization in the future. So, there is a serious question of how the space industry can move forward to maintain a balance in controlling the future number of the satellite while accommodating many commercial or government space entities. This article also identifies two optimized approaches as a way forward for future satellite projects that can also enhance the effectiveness of space technology in the future.