Features
The best way to improve space situational awareness (SSA) is not to amass additional data but to provide upgraded ground systems and analytical tools to assess the information, said Josh Hartman, chief executive officer of Horizon Strategies Group (HSG), a think tank in Washington, D.C.
The Space Data Association (SDA) users' conference at marked the most recent public initiative aimed at pooling the industry’s collective resources to support space situational awareness (SSA).
Situations such as the $165 million Russian Phobus-Grunt space probe failing to reach proper orbit and in danger of falling back to Earth pose unlimited liability risks for the country that carries out the mission, said Professor Frans von der Dunk, a legal scholar on space issues at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Amid the calls for removal of space debris, satellite operators face the tough reality of staying away from these “uncontrolled flying objects.” The awareness has certainly increased over the years, and efforts are being made to avoid leaving debris in highly used areas such as the geostationary (GEO) ring; nevertheless, with more satellites being launched, more debris accumulates from launch vehicle remains and satellites drifting after fatal anomalies.
Why is there so much interest in the theme of space surveillance? It can be tempting to think that this is just an overblown group of self-interested parties trying to drum up funding for obscure research efforts. The reality couldn’t be more different. Over the last five years, real concern has been growing about the way the near space environment is becoming polluted by our past activities.
Space situational awareness (SSA) has come to describe our knowledge of the objects in space, and our ability to characterize and catalog them. Unfortunately, in the dynamic low Earth orbit (LEO) environment, the accuracy of this data was insufficient for collision avoidance.
An increasing amount of space debris in low- Earth orbit (LEO), roughly less than 1,600 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, is putting both manned and unmanned missions at heightened risk.
If there is one overall theme that comes along with Space Situational Awarness (SSA), it's one of cooperation. Like with any great issue, multiple parties working together for one common goal is the best approach.
Brian Weeden is Technical Advisor for Secure World Foundation, and has over a decade of professional experience in the national and international space security arena. His wealth of technical knowledge and expertise has established him as a thought leader for providing critical analysis that supports development of space policy on a global scale.
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