Utilization of LIDAR Technologies for Detection of Space Debris in Low Earth Orbit

In today’s exploratory climate, there are millions of small pieces of “space junk” in low Earth orbit. In the last few months there have been multiple near misses from colliding space debris. As efforts to push humanity to other planets continue to increase, there will be more events like this. These debris create a hazard to future missions, the astronauts, and assets that are currently in orbit. Space debris are currently monitored and tracked by multiple federal agencies primarily from the surface of Earth. In an attempt to detect orbital debris via satellite, I will explore the advantages and disadvantages of Light Imaging Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) for small space debris detection in low Earth orbit.