Engineering Commons^™

Emerging Need For A European Approach To Space Traffic Management, Tomas Hrozensky

Space Traffic Management Conference

The intensification of space activities worldwide, together with the emergence of new actors and disruptive concepts (e.g. miniaturized satellites, mega-constellations, in-orbit operations), create new challenges to ensure the safety and security of space systems and operations as well as the long-term sustainability of space activities. Among policy responses to these challenges, the development of a new approach to space traffic management was recently brought to the forefront by the adoption of a policy directive in this domain by the United States.

A comparable STM policy has not yet been developed in Europe even though considerations for the safety, security and …

Analogies And Comparisons For Stm Data Bodies, Phillip M. Cunio, Brien Flewelling

Space Traffic Management Conference

Space Traffic Management (STM) has already demonstrated its potential to be extremely data-intensive. The large number of objects on orbit today, if observed constantly throughout their lifetimes, could produce a staggeringly large number of observations that might in turn generate large numbers of orbits. Orbit data with a lengthy time history can be used to produce estimates of maneuver frequency, susceptibility to natural forces such as drag, and (if combined with photometric data) assessments of behavioral patterns of life.

A future of mega-constellations and a growing number of nations and organizations with assets on orbit would make it likely that …

Advanced Inflatable De-Orbit Solutions For Derelict Satellites And Orbital Debris, Aman Chandra, Greg Wilburn, Jekan Thanga

Space Traffic Management Conference

The exponential rise in small-satellites and CubeSats in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) poses important challenges for future space traffic management. At altitudes of 600 km and lower, aerodynamic drag accelerates de-orbiting of satellites. However, placement of satellites at higher altitudes required for constellations pose important challenges. The satellites will require on-board propulsion to lower their orbits to 600 km and let aerodynamic drag take-over. In this work we analyze solutions for de-orbiting satellites at altitudes of up to 3000 km. We consider a modular robotic de-orbit device that has stowed volume of a regular CubeSat. The de-orbit device would be …

End To End Satellite Servicing And Space Debris Management, Aman Chandra, Himangshu Kalita, Roberto Furfaro, Jekan Thanga

Space Traffic Management Conference

There is growing demand for satellite swarms and constellations for global positioning, remote sensing and relay communication in higher LEO orbits. This will result in many obsolete, damaged and abandoned satellites that will remain on-orbit beyond 25 years. These abandoned satellites and space debris maybe economically valuable orbital real-estate and resources that can be reused, repaired or upgraded for future use. Space traffic management is critical to repair damaged satellites, divert satellites into warehouse orbits and effectively deorbit satellites and space debris that are beyond repair and salvage. Current methods for on-orbit capture, servicing and repair require a large service …

Satellite Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis For “Dilution Region” Events: Issues And Operational Approaches, Matthew D. Hejduk

Space Traffic Management Conference

An important activity within Space Traffic Management is the detection and prevention of possible on-orbit collisions between space objects. The principal parameter for assessing collision likelihood is the probability of collision, which is widely accepted among conjunction assessment practitioners; but it possesses a known deficiency in that it can produce a false sense of safety when the orbital position uncertainties for the conjuncting objects are high. The probability of collision is said to be “diluted” in such a situation and to understate the possible risk; certain approaches have been recommended by researchers to provide (largely conservative) risk estimates and remediation …

Space Objects Classification And Characterization Via Deep Learning And Light Curves: Applications To Space Traffic Management, Roberto Furfaro, Richard Linares, Vishnu Reddy

Space Traffic Management Conference

Recent advancements in deep learning (e.g. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Recurrent Neural networks (RNN)) have demonstrated impressive results in many practical and theoretical fields (e.g. speech recognition, computer vision, robotics). Whereas deep learning methods are becoming ubiquitous, they have been barely explored in SSA applications, in particular with regard to object characterization for Space Traffic Management (STM).

In this paper, we report the results obtained in designing and training a set of CNNs and RNNs for Space Object (SO) classification and characterization using light-curve measurements. More specifically, we provide a comparison between deep networks trained on both physically-based models (i.e. …

Lasers For Communication And Coordination Control Of Spacecraft Swarms, Himangshu Kalita, Leonard Dean Vance, Vishnu Reddy, Jekan Thanga

Space Traffic Management Conference

Swarms of small spacecraft offer whole new capabilities in Earth observation, global positioning and communications compared to a large monolithic spacecraft. These small spacecraft can provide bigger apertures that increase gain in communication antennas, increase area coverage or effective resolution of distributed cameras and enable persistent observation of ground or space targets. However, there remain important challenges in operating large number of spacecrafts at once. Current methods would require a large number of ground operators monitor and actively control these spacecraft which poses challenges in terms of coordination and control which prevents the technology from scaled up in cost-effective manner. …

Near Real Time Satellite Event Detection And Characterization With Remote Photoacoustic Signatures, Justin Spurbeck, Moriba K. Jah

Space Traffic Management Conference

Active satellites frequently maneuver to mitigate conjunctions and maintain nominal mission orbits. With an ever-growing Resident Space Object (RSO) population, the need to detect and predict any changes in active RSO trajectories has become increasingly important. There is typically a lag on the order of hours to days from time of maneuver to unmodeled dynamic event detection depending on the magnitude of the delta-v. For uncooperative objects, this detection lag poses a threat to other satellites. Implementing an active photoacoustic signature change detection methodology to detect and predict unmodeled dynamic events would reduce the overall conjunction risk and provide a …

Astria Ontology: Open, Standards-Based, Data-Aggregated Representation Of Space Objects, Jennie Wolfgang, Kathleen Krysher, Michael Slovenski, Unmil P. Karadkar, Shiva Iyer, Moriba K. Jah

Space Traffic Management Conference

The necessity for standards-based ontologies for long-term sustainability of space operations and safety of increasing space flights has been well-established [6, 7]. Current ontologies, such as DARPA’s OrbitOutlook [5], are not publicly available, complicating efforts for their broad adoption. Most sensor data is siloed in proprietary databases [2] and provided only to authorized users, further complicating efforts to create a holistic view of resident space objects (RSOs) in order to enhance space situational awareness (SSA).

The ASTRIA project is developing an open data model with the goal of aggregating data about RSOs, parts, space weather, and governing policies in order …

Nanosat Tracking And Identification Techniques And Technologies, Mark A. Skinner

Space Traffic Management Conference

Nanosats (and CubeSats, ‘Smallsats’, etc.) are of order 10 cm in size, and are at or near the limits of what can be tracked and characterized, using existing space surveillance assets. Additionally, given the CubeSat form-factor, they are often launched in large numbers (scores), and can be virtually identical. Thus are they difficult to track and to identify.

We have identified a number of technologies that future nanosat missions could employ that would enhance the trackability and/or identification of their satellites when on-orbit. Some of these technologies require active illumination of the satellite with electromagnetic energy, either in the radio …

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 …

Human-In-The-Loop Landing Flare Flight Test Simulation Of The Spaceliner Orbiter, Frank Morlang

Space Traffic Management Conference

Against the background that all future air traffic participants are requested to act as System Wide Information Management (SWIM) communicating sub-systems by the future Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) SWIM 'Intranet for ATM' concept, facing the challenge of integration of space traffic in the current Air Traffic Management (ATM) needs SWIM compliance of future commercial space transportation (CST) vehicles having “landing like an aircraft at an airport” characteristics. In order to evaluate future spacecraft cockpit procedures in a transition context from Aircraft Access to SWIM (AAtS) to Spacecraft Access to SWIM in a network wide airspace management …

Framework For Evaluating Traffic Management Services In Higher Airspace, Jennifer Gentry, Debra Moch-Mooney, Anuja Mahashabde

Space Traffic Management Conference

Flying faster, farther, longer and higher has always captured the public’s imagination. Yet there is a vast realm of airspace that remains unexplored, save for a handful of scientific and national security missions. It is a realm rife with extremes, where flights can reach multi-Mach speeds or stay aloft for months as they slowly circumnavigate the globe. It is a realm that lies high above the clouds, at the edge of space.

Recent breakthroughs in technology, fueled by a globalized economy and society’s appetite for information, have set the stage for routine commercial operations in this new realm. Companies, old …

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. …

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 …

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 …