C. Bonnal

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

C. Bonnal is a leading expert in space debris mitigation and active debris removal (ADR), with a career focused on tackling one of the most pressing challenges in orbital sustainability. His major contributions center on developing practical, propulsion-based solutions for removing defunct satellites and rocket bodies from low Earth orbit (LEO). His most influential work, "Active space debris removal by a hybrid propulsion module" (2013, 75 citations), proposes a dedicated spacecraft equipped with a hybrid engine—combining chemical and electric propulsion—to rendezvous with, capture, and de-orbit large debris objects. This concept directly addresses the critical finding that 97% of the cross-sectional mass in LEO is concentrated in roughly 4,500 intact objects, a statistic Bonnal helped highlight. His follow-up paper (2012, 14 citations) further refined this hybrid module design, emphasizing its efficiency for multi-target missions. Bonnal’s research is foundational for agencies like ESA and NASA, as it provides a scalable, technically feasible path to stabilizing the debris environment. His work underscores the urgency of active removal, given the annual 145-ton increase in orbital mass, and positions him as a key voice in international space policy and debris remediation strategies.