Engineering Commons^™

A Statistical Approach For Commercial Space Vehicle Integration Into The National Airspace System, Christopher Hays, Daniel Chu, Pedro Llanos

Space Traffic Management Conference

This paper explores commercial space vehicle (CSV) suborbital flight trajectories in the temporal and spatial domains for CSV integration into the National Airspace System. The research data was collected via the Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) housed in the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach campus, and analyzed using an original MATLAB data analytics tool. This study primarily focuses on statistical trends observed in previously simulated flights supported by three Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) campaigns comprised of 34 flights and 19 control flights, and to identify relevant milestones in the CSV …

Enhancing Suborbital Science Through Better Understanding Of Wind Effects, Pedro Llanos, Diane Howard

Space Traffic Management Conference

This paper highlights the importance of understanding some key factors, such as winds effects, trajectory and vehicle parameters variations in order to streamline the space vehicle operations and enhance science in the upper mesosphere at about 85 km. Understanding these effects is crucial to refine current space operations and establish more robust procedures. These procedures will involve training new space operators to conduct and coordinate space operations in class E above FL600 airspace within the Air Traffic Organization (ATO).

Space vehicles such as Space Ship Two can spend up to 6 minutes in class E airspace above FL600 after launch. …

Sharing Airspace: Simulation Of Commercial Space Launch Impacts On Airlines And Finding Solutions, Janet K. Tinoco, Chunyan Yu, Rodrigo Firmo, Carlos Castro, Mohammad Moallemi

Space Traffic Management Conference

As space vehicles travel through the national airspace systems during the launch and re-entry stages, many believe that the increasing commercial space activities will have significant impacts on commercial aviation. Airlines, in particular, are apprehensive about the immediate negative effects in terms of flight time delays, uncertainties, and costs and are increasingly expressing their concerns to government. Meanwhile, the commercial space launch industry is advancing innovation and fueling state economic growth. Hence, the safe and effective integration of commercial launch activities into airspace is of national concern. Finding an equitable solution for commercial space and for commercial airlines is clearly …

Assessment Of The Impact Of Air Launch Operations On Air Traffic In Europe, Sven Kaltenhaeuser, Tanja Luchkova, Niklas Klay, Rui Bin Randy Ang

Space Traffic Management Conference

The development in commercial space transportation is strongly driven by a growing demand for payload capacities and cost efficient access to space. Accordingly, there is also a demand for further launch opportunities in the European region. Factors such as short waiting times for launches, rapid response capabilities, proximity of production sites to the launch site and independence from established and highly utilized launch systems are increasingly playing a role. Air launches are discussed as a way to meet this demand. They also offer the particular advantage of relatively low requirements on infrastructure and location of the spaceport compared to conventional …

Space Launch And Reentry Operations Collaborative Decision Making (Cdm) Concept, Catherine N. Bolczak, Diane E. Boone, Bill Lash, Constance E. Morgan

Space Traffic Management Conference

The Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Traffic Organization manages the National Airspace System (NAS) for all users. Demand for this airspace is growing as space launch and reentry (L/R) operations increase in number, vehicle and mission types, and locations. Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) is a well-established practice for resolving airspace demand issues among multiple NAS users as it considers multiple stakeholders’ perspectives to make informed decisions. The MITRE Corporation is conducting research on how CDM principles can be applied to L/R operations and has developed an initial Space CDM concept. Our paper describes this concept, including high-level operational elements and supporting …