Possible European Systems for Space Situational Awareness

Paper number

IAC-08.A6.5.3

Author

Mrs. Thérèse Donath, Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), France

Coauthor

Dr. Thomas Schildknecht, Astronomical Institute University of Bern (AIUB), Switzerland

Coauthor

Mr. Luca del Monte, European Space Agency (ESA), France

Coauthor

Mr. Vincent Martinot, Thales Alenia Space, France

Year

2008

Abstract

As defined by ESA, Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is the understanding and maintained awareness of the Earth orbital population, the space environment and possible threats to space assets. Space Situational Awareness is then understood as an upper-set of space surveillance. European SSA is relatively poor and many studies are performed in that domain to propose an autonomous system.

This paper will present the required functions for such system derived from SSA definition and a comprehensive survey of technical solutions to fulfil these functions: Survey and tracking to acquire and maintain an orbital parameters catalogue and perform collision avoidance or predict re-entries, characterisation of space objects and acquisition of space environment knowledge. Both ground-based and space-based solutions will be envisaged depending on target orbit types.

From this analysis, possible architectural solutions (for sensors and networks) will be proposed and discussed in terms of critical issues.

Abstract document

IAC-08.A6.5.3.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.A6.5.3.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.