Conceptual Design for an Autonomous Orbital Vehicle for Space Debris Collection and Decommissioning of Defunct Satellites

Space debris poses an escalating threat to operational satellites, crewed missions, and the long-term sustainability of space activities. With millions of defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, and collision fragments orbiting Earth at velocities exceeding 7 km/s, the risk of catastrophic collisions grows exponentially. Current debris mitigation strategies focus on prevention, while active removal concepts remain costly, single-target missions unsuitable for addressing the scale of the problem. This research presents a conceptual design for the ADCS-1 (Autonomous Debris Collection Spacecraft), an innovative orbital vehicle capable of autonomously identifying, tracking, capturing, and deorbiting multiple space debris objects in a single mission. The spacecraft employs a hybrid capture system combining deployable nets and a 7-degree-of-freedom robotic arm, providing versatility to handle diverse debris types ranging from 10 cm to 2 meters in size. Electric propulsion via Hall-effect thrusters enables efficient orbital maneuvering with a total ΔV budget of 1,500 m/s, supporting missions lasting 30-90 days. The design integrates proven space technologies including LIDAR-based tracking, AI-driven autonomous navigation, and solar-electric power generation. Detailed orbital mechanics analysis demonstrates the technical feasibility of multi-target rendezvous sequences using Hohmann transfers and optimized propellant consumption. Economic analysis shows the concept could reduce per-debris removal costs from 100-300 million dollars to 3-5 million dollars through multi-target capability, representing a 10-30× improvement over existing single-target approaches. Key innovations include: (1) autonomous AI algorithms enabling extended operations with minimal ground control. (2) adaptive capture mechanisms suited to both tumbling fragments and stabilized defunct satellites. (3) scalable design permitting fleet operations to stabilize debris population growth. (4) modular architecture compatible with commercial launch vehicles at a 1,730 kg launch mass. The research acknowledges critical limitations including orbital plane change constraints, debris characterization uncertainties, and the need for extensive simulation validation before hardware development. A comprehensive roadmap for future work outlines required simulations (orbital dynamics, capture mechanics, AI validation), hardware prototyping, and a phased demonstration mission approach spanning 7-10 years to operational capability. This conceptual design establishes that active debris removal is technically feasible with current technologies and economically viable at scale. With appropriate investment and international cooperation, multi-target autonomous debris collection spacecraft could begin reversing decades of orbital pollution within this decade, ensuring sustainable access to space for future generations.