Team: Finavitec (formerly Finnyards, SF), SSF (SF), Metorex (SF), VTT (SF), Unispace Kent (UK)
- Mass:
- Sensor Unit (SU): 560g
- Data Processing Unit (DPU): 740g
- Total (4 SU, harness and DPU): 4 kg
- Power: < 4W
- Dimensions:
- SU: 100 mm × 100 mm × 47 mm (w×l×h)
- DPU: 156 mm × 136 mm × 42.5 mm (w×l×h)
- PROBA-1 (October 2001)
- International Space Station (2008-2009)
Bunte, Karl Dietrich; Jurke, Keith - Noah; Millinger, Mark: Data of European In-situ Impact Detectors for Environment Model Validation. Proceedings 8th European Conference on Space Debris, vol. 8, no. 1, European Space Agency ESA Space Debris Office, 2021. (Type: Conference | Abstract | Links | BibTeX)@conference{nokey,Space debris particles pose a significant threat to the safe operation of space systems. However, the fluxes of microparticles with sizes below 1 mm are not well known and thus, reliable data from in-situ microparticle detectors are required. This paper presents a summary of the microparticle sensor data included in the European Detector Impact Database (EDID). The focus is put on the DEBIE-1 dataset (DEBIE: Debris In-orbit Evaluator), which has been preliminarily analysed during the recent upgrade of the EDID. The analysis focussed on plausibility checks and a preliminary filtering of the large amount of noise events. Key findings of this analysis are presented by means of the evaluation of the latitude of events as function of time. The limitations of this analysis are addressed and their impact on the further use of the dataset is outlined. It is proposed to renew the efforts to process existing in-situ measurement data, to use the data to validate environment models, to develop new detectors and to plan and identify suitable flight opportunities for these instruments. |
Drolshagen, G.: In-situ Observations of Space Debris at ESA. In: The Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, pp. E68, 2006. (Type: Proceedings Article | BibTeX)@inproceedings{2006amos.confE..68D, |
Schwanethal, J.; McBride, N.; Green, Simon; McDonnell, J.; Drolshagen, G.: Analysis of Impact Data from the Debie (debris In-Orbit Evaluator) Sensor in Polar Low Earth Orbit. In: European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP, vol. 587, pp. 177, 2005. (Type: Journal Article | Links | BibTeX)@article{articleb, |
Schwanethal, J. P.; McBride, N.; Green, S. F.: Detecting interplanetary and interstellar dust with the DEBIE sensor. In: Warmbein, Barbara (Ed.): Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: ACM 2002, pp. 75-78, 2002. (Type: Proceedings Article | Abstract | Links | BibTeX)@inproceedings{2002ESASP.500...75S,ESA's PROBA-1 mission was launched in October 2001 into polar low Earth orbit. Two DEBIE sensors were placed on the spacecraft to monitor the dust and debris flux. The DEBIE sensor utilises two independent detection techniques, and is an active sensor providing real time data. Two sets of wire electrodes, sensitive to impact generated ions and electrons respectively, are mounted in front of a thin aluminium foil ( acting as the target plate). On the foil are two piezoelectric devices, which measure the momentum transfer of an impact. H penetration of the foil occurs, there is a third electron plasma detector electrode located behind the foil. The detector is completing its commissioning phase, and we describe how impacting particle masses and speeds, as well as original orbits can be constrained from the flight data. |
Ekstrand, Veronika; Drolshagen, Gerhard: Comparison of meteoroid and space debris fluxes to spacecraft in Earth orbit. In: Warmbein, Barbara (Ed.): Meteoroids 2001 Conference, pp. 543-550, 2001. (Type: Proceedings Article | Abstract | Links | BibTeX)@inproceedings{2001ESASP.495..543E,Spacecraft in Earth orbit will be impacted by natural meteoroids and man made space debris particles. The relative ratio depends mainly on the particle size, the spacecraft orbit and attitude. Predicted numbers of impacts from different flux models are presented for particle sizes ranging from microns to cm. For low Earth orbits, meteoroid fluxes dominate for sizes between some 10 microns and about 1 mm while space debris is more abundant for smaller and larger sizes. The most recent flux models show generally a good agreement. The model differences for a given population indicate the present level of uncertainty. |
Kuitunen, Juha; Drolshagen, G.; McDonnell, J.; Svedhem, H.; Leese, Mark; Mannermaa, H.; Kaipiainen, M.; Sipinen, V.: DEBIE - first standard in-situ debris monitoring instrument. vol. 3, no. 1, European Space Agency, 2001. (Type: Conference | Abstract | Links | BibTeX)@conference{article,Objects larger than a few centimetres can be tracked with radar or with optical telescopes. The population of smaller particles can only be investigated by the analysis of retrieved spacecraft and passive detectors or by in-situ monitors in orbit. Patria Finavitec together with UniSpace Kent have developed the DEBIE (DEBris In-orbit Evaluator) instrument to determine the parameters of sub-millimetre sized space debris and micrometeoroids in-situ by their impact with a detecting surface. The main goal has been to develop an economical and low-resource instrument, easy to integrate into any spacecraft, while providing reliable real-time data for space debris modelling. |
Leese, M. R.; McDonnell, J. A. M.; Burchell, M. J.; Green, S. F.; Jolly, H. S.; Ratcliff, P. R.; Shaw, H. A.: Debie: a Low Resource Dust Environment Monitor. In: Guyenne, T. -D. (Ed.): Space Station Utilisation, pp. 417, 1996. (Type: Proceedings Article | BibTeX)@inproceedings{1996ESASP.385..417L, |
Standard In Situ Impact Detector (DEBIE-1)
Knowledge of the meteoroid and space debris environment is required for a reliable spacecraft risk assessment and for the design of protective shielding. At present our models still have large uncertainties. Particles larger than a few cm in diameter can be detected by radar or optical telescopes from the ground but information on the small-size (sub-millimeter) meteoroid and space debris environment can only by gained by the analysis of retrieved spacecraft or by in-situ monitors in orbit. For orbits above 600 km retrieval of space hardware is not possible and active monitors are required to measure impacting fluxes, their seasonal variations and long term evolution.
DEBIE is a standard low resources meteoroid and space debris in-situ impact detector. The detector monitors sub-millimeter sized particles which impact the detector surfaces. The instrument consists of a central processing unit and up to 4 separate sensor units which can be placed on different spacecraft surfaces. DEBIE-1 uses a combination of impact ionisation, momentum and foil penetration detection. The instrument is designed as a standard detector which can be flown on different spacecraft and missions with little or no modifications.