Design of Robust Passively Safe Relative Trajectories for Uncooperative Debris Imaging in Preparation to Removal

Among the critical steps forward the success of future Active Debris Removal are missions to enhance the target knowledge and validate proximity operations. The ESA e.Inspector project, currently in phase-A, aims at preparing a smallsat mission ready to fly and inspect the Debris. This paper discusses the current baseline, ensuring required passively safe trajectories while imaging the uncooperative object. The definition of relative trajectories is robust against unknown, or partially known, target attitude profiles. To ensure control authority the smallsat uses low thrust engines; to enhance the data yield navigation robustness, on board cameras operate on VIS and IR band.