Spin velocity measurement for space debris from periodic signatures with active and passive illumination

Measurement for spin velocity is an important method for identification of space debris from functioning crafts as the obtained light curve shows periodic signatures, which helps to identify the debris from functioning space craft. In this paper, space debris of different spin velocities, different altitudes, and different surface materials (Al2O3, TiO2) are both theoretically analyzed and simulated with a ray tracing method by Tracepro. In the ray tracing simulation, light is presented by a visible way as light rays, and only some basic laws of geometrical optics are needed. Simulation results show light curves have periodic signatures which can be used for spin velocity measurement. And spin velocities obtained from active illumination and passive illumination are different, which may have some reference value in the practical engineering.