Encounter Geometry as a Critical Control Parameter for Space Laser Debris Remediation Under Uncertainty
Space-based laser debris remediation is inherently stochastic due to incomplete knowledge of debris characteristics, yet current approaches treat it as deterministic. The core challenge is coupling ablation with real-time estimation of laser-matter parameters like momentum coupling coefficients, where the sensing process itself perturbs the target trajectory. Encounter geometry—the relative orbital configuration between laser platform and debris—directly influences both remediation effectiveness and estimation accuracy, requiring joint optimization rather than independent problem formulation.