Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons^™

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. …

Responsible Behavior For Constellations And Clusters, Darren Mcknight, Jonathan Rosenblatt, Darren Garber

Space Traffic Management Conference

Many large constellations are being considered for deployment over the next ten years into low earth orbit (LEO). This paper seeks to quantify the risks that these constellations pose to the debris environment, the risks that the debris environment poses to these constellations, and the risks that these constellations pose to themselves. The three representative constellations examined in detail in this paper are operated (or planned to be operated) by Spire Global, Iridium, and OneWeb. This paper provides a balanced risk analysis including collision risk, operational risk, and non-adherence risk. For perspective, the risk posed by these economically useful constellations …

Examining Time To Evacuate Dynamically Activated Aircraft Hazard Areas, Zheng Tao, Granghuai Wang, Ashley G. Williams, Jon L. Semanek, Jonathan L. Schwartz

Space Traffic Management Conference

The growth in launch and reentry operations in the National Airspace System (NAS) presents the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the challenge of integrating them more efficiently while also minimizing effects on other NAS users and maintaining safety. Currently, to maintain safety and account for unforeseen events such as vehicle breakup, the FAA segregates large amounts of airspace, called Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs), from traditional NAS users during launch and reentry operations. In order to minimize effects on NAS users, some AHAs during reentry are dynamically activated only if an unexpected event occurs. If a dynamic AHA is activated, then …

Space Data Integrator (Sdi) And Space Program Integrated Data And Estimated Risk (Spider): Proof-Of-Concept Software Solution For Integrating Launch And Reentry Vehicles Into The National Airspace System (Nas), Devin D. Dickens

Space Traffic Management Conference

The Space Data Integrator (SDI) Project is the initial step to satisfy the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strategic initiative to integrate commercial space launch and reentry vehicles into the National Airspace System. The project addresses the needs for greater situational awareness and monitoring, and increased response capability during non-nominal and catastrophic incidents during space operations.

The initial phase of this project leverages current FAA systems, and provide an initial demonstration of capability that will provide for state data from a commercial reentry vehicle to be ingested into a the FAA Traffic Flow Management System, and displayed on Traffic Situation Displays. …