Technical programme

A6.1. Measurements

This session will address advanced ground and space-based measurement techniques, related processing methods, and results characterization of orbital and physical properties of space debris.

A6.2. Modelling and Risk Analysis

This session will address the characterization of the current and future debris population and methods for in-orbit and on-ground assessments. The in-orbit analysis will cover collission risk estimates based on statistical population models and deterministic catalogues, and active avoidance.

A6.3. Hypervelocity Impacts and Protection

The session will address passive protection, shielding and damage predictions. Shielding aspects will be supported by experimental and computational results of HVI tests. Use of HVI techniques for debris mitigation.

A6.4. Mitigation and Standards

This session will focus on the definition and implementation of debris prevention and reduction measures and vehicle passive protection. The session will also address space debris mitigation guidelines and standards that exist already or are in preparation at the national or international level.

A6.5. Space Debris Removal Technologies

This session will address active removal techniques "ground and space based" and identify implementation difficulties and maturity of proposed technologies.

A6.6. Space Debris Removal Concepts

This session will address active removal concepts "ground and space based" and identify innovative solutions and the steps for developing the concepts into reality.

A6.7. Operations in Space Debris Environment, Situational Awareness

This session will address the multiple aspects associated to safe operations in Space dealing with Space Debris, including operational assessment from observations, catalogue build-up and maintainance, data aggregation from different sources, relevant data exchanges standards and conjunctions analyses.

A6.8. (joint session with Space Security Committee): Policy, Legal, Institutional and Economic Aspects of Space Debris Detection, Mitigation and Removal

This session will deal with the non-technical aspects of space debris detection, mitigation and removal. Policy, legal and institutional aspects includes role of IADC and UNCOPUOS and other multilateral bodies. Economic issues including insurance, financial incentives and funding for space debris mitigation and removal. The role of international cooperation in addressing these issues will be considered.

A6.9. Modelling and Orbit Determination

This session will address aspects of space debris orbit determination related to assessment of raw and derived data accuracy, optical measurements processing and modelling and risk analysis of space debris.

A6.10-YPVF.5. Space Debris Young Professionals Virtual Forum

A safe and secure space environment is a requirement for all current and future space activities. The sustainability of the space environment is today challenged by a number of threats, the most pressing one being the alarming proliferation of space debris. Space debris has become a major concern for all current as well as future space actors. This virtual session will be a multi-disciplinary forum on emerging issues related to space debris, aimed at raising awareness around this critical threat to space activities. This discussion will present the challenges presented by this threat and how it is currently being addressed at the international, regional and national levels and will seek to explore the way forward. This virtual session will be organised by the IAF Technical Committee on Space Security and the IAF Space Debris Committee.

A6.IP. Interactive Presentations