Tech Brief: Orbital Debris: Situational Awareness, Collision Avoidance, and Debris Mitigation

Short Agenda

The growing magnitude of the orbital debris problem
Situational awareness
- Systems and tracking capabilities
- Satellite Self situational awareness – Can it work? but what are the knock on effects
- Operational satellites/systems vs Junk ( debris and dead satellites – everything becomes junk!)
Collision avoidance
- Passive avoidance – Mission planning and orbit selection
- Active avoidance – use satellite attitude control to highly effective maneuvering thrusters
- Automation of Avoidance – it is already here
  - A Cautionary Tale – cyber security autonomous or manual orbital/ephemeris change – intentionally deorbiting or causing collisions
Debris Mitigation
- Regulatory actions for mission planning and controlled satellite end-of-life
- Active Debris removal – concepts and funded efforts
Conclusion

Market Brief

Date: February 7, 2024 Time: 9:15 am - 9:35 am