Jim Shell’s Post

Today NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office released their latest "Orbital Debris Quarterly News" (ODQN) publication. Some highlights: * Summary of NASA's first #SpaceSustainability document * Updated NASA policy document on #SpaceDebris mitigation * Laboratory radar cross section (RCS) measurements (ref graphic below) The ODQN is available here: https://lnkd.in/g9SmrZ9X (resolves to a nasa.gov URL) #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDebris #SpaceSituationalAwareness #SpaceDomainAwareness

Russia has submitted their US-designated ASAT satellite for UN Registration. Russia submitted COSMOS 2576 for UN registration on 14 June 2024 as part of their routine monthly filing. COSMOS 2576 was launched on 16 May 2024 and has been characterized by the US government as "likely a counterspace weapon." (ref https://lnkd.in/gGCK6QjB - resolves to a usmission.gov URL). COSMOS 2576 is commonly identified as the fourth "Nivelir" satellite * Ref Gunter's Space Page -> https://lnkd.in/g3wSzqUB (resolves to skyrocket.de URL). * Ref Jonathan McDowell -> https://lnkd.in/ggy3pTfx (resolves to planet.4589.org URL) Russia's stated "Function of Space Object" for COSMOS 2576 is the typical statement: "Intended for assignments on behalf of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation." Of note: a total of 10 payloads (satellites) were deployed on this launch (2024-092). The US space object catalog (space-track.org) only has COSMOS 2576 identified by name. It appears Russia's filing of the additional 9 satellites did not reference the International Designator of the other satellites, so ambiguity remains on their identity in the US catalog (although it's not a difficult exercise given the orbit characteristics and other known information on the additional satellites). Contrary to Russia's filing, China has thus far referenced the international designators with UN Registration filings, enabling positive identification of generically named objects in the US catalog. UN Registry database: https://lnkd.in/g2r6URVp (unoosa.org URL) #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior

Last week ESA released their most excellent annual space environment report. It is public domain and may be downloaded here: https://lnkd.in/gkSY9J7V (esa.int URL). This report remains the most comprehensive examination of the space domain environment and accountability of best practice behaviors in the domain. Thank you European Space Agency - ESA, ESA Clean Space #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior #SpaceDebris #SpaceSituationalAwarenss #SpaceTrafficManagement

PRC Spaceplane 3 (58573, 2023-195A) - coming home???? On around 19 July 2024, the PRC Spaceplane 3 lowered its altitude from 604 km to 344 km. Might she be getting ready to land? Last state at 604 km: 2024-07-18 16:48 UTC First state at 344 km: 2024-07-19 12:45 UTC No maneuvers observed for the previously deployed "OBJECT G" (59884, 2023-195G). #SpaceDomainAwareness

YASDE (Yet Another Space Debris Event) Update #1: RESURS P1 breakup on 26 Jun 2024. Although more than 100 pieces of space debris were observed from this breakup, only 18 have been cataloged by U.S. Space Command to date. Given the low altitude, it is likely the vast majority of the objects tracked but not cataloged have already decayed. As of today, only 2 cataloged pieces remain which have a geometric possibility of colliding with a crewed mission (ISS and Chinese Space Station). Animated Gabbard diagram below. Orbit data were only made available starting some 2 weeks after the event, and at this altitude there was already significant drag effects evident. (Meaning, classical Gabbard diagram analysis related to fragment delta velocity magnitudes and directions is not readily accomplished). Original Event Post: https://lnkd.in/gcSF7BrY (Orbit data from space-track.org, used with permission per ODR 24-002-4) #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDebris #SpaceTrafficManagement

YASDE! (Yet Another Space Debris Event) U.S. Space Command provided public notification today, 20 July 2024, of the breakup of a defunct US Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite which occurred at 2024-07-19T20:41Z. (Specific sat is DMSP 5D-2 F8, 1987-053A, SATNO 18123). Five (5) #SpaceDebris pieces currently being tracked, though none have been cataloged at this time. Probable root cause is a known issue associated with the wiring harness of the battery charging system short circuiting & resulting in an overcharge of the NiCd batteries. Past DMSP (and similar NOAA satellites of comparable design) fragmentation events have resulted in 100+ cataloged pieces of debris. - Ref https://lnkd.in/g-BGdrwX (resolves to a spaceflightnow.com URL) - Ref NASA Orbital Debris Program Office paper from 2023 on NOAA-17 breakup: https://lnkd.in/gsBd8RPD (resolves to nasa.gov URL). Unfortunately, we will likely see more of these events from the remaining satellites with the same wiring harness design. :-( Notification on X (@S4S_SDA): https://lnkd.in/gbAGuZ8Q Notification also provided via space-track.org home page. #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDebris #SpaceTrafficManagement

New PRC paper of interest: detection of GEO satellite maneuvers from a space-based optical sensor. Open access paper here: https://lnkd.in/gYTP3QNg (mdpi.com URL) #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceSituationalAwareness

Oh yeah, we have Russian ASATs on orbit! A few months is an eternity when it comes to the fast pace of changes and activities in the space domain....but you may recall Russia launched an ASAT on 16 May 2024, COSMOS 2576 (59773), let's check up on it! COSMOS 2576 continues to make periodic maneuvers--both in-track and inclination adjustments. The most recent maneuvers were made 27-29 June 2024 (ref graphic). Of interest to note that both altitude adjustments made so far have actually consisted of three separate sets of maneuvers (likely six separate maneuvers a la Hohmann transfer style). Excerpt from 21 May 2024 SpaceNews article (https://lnkd.in/g-vxaK6P), where "he" is US Amb. Robert Wood: “Just last week, on May 16, Russia launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that the United States assesses is likely a counterspace weapon, presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit,” he said. “Russia deployed this new counterspace weapon into the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite.” I'm being lazy right now - if someone has the primary source for the actual US gov't public release, please throw it out here (would be nice if "Space News" provided better references). (Orbit data from space-track.org, used with permission per ODR 24-002-4)

YASDE! (Yet Another Space Debris Event) Another PRC launch with a CZ-6A rocket, another #SpaceDebris event (sigh). On 4 Jul 2024, China launched a CZ-6A rocket out of Taiyuan placing the Tinhui 5 Group 02 "cartography surveying" satellites into LEO. Less than 24 hours after launch Swiss company s2a systems imaged object 2024-126D (SATNO 60214) and observed numerous debris fragments (parent object in 608 x 496 km orbit). Reference the following X posts by s2a systems from which the animation and image below are sourced: * Initial observation: https://lnkd.in/grXkFCsQ * The amazing video (excerpt below-see original X post for full quality-amazing) https://lnkd.in/g6X_re6P It is unlikely any of these objects will be cataloged by U.S. Space Command and appear on space-track.org. Modest optical systems in rate track on short range LEO objects have adequate sensitivity to detect signatures typical of cm-sized objects. These are likely higher area/mass objects such as thin films from thermal control blankets with low radar cross section (RCS). While we often talk of the "lethal non-trackable" population of #SpaceDebris in the 2-10 cm diameter class, it is likely objects impacted by these fragments would not suffer a catastrophic failure (subject to much debate). However, this is obviously highly undesired. China, what is the root cause of these incidents? #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceSituationalAwareness Office of Space Commerce

What? Reads a bit too much like a direct ascent anti-satellite weapon (DA-ASAT) - pretty sure that is NOT the intent here.... Anyone have more? https://bit.ly/3Wetrl7 (resolves to a europeanspaceflight.com URL). Article excerpt: "Founded in 2021, Dark is developing its Interceptor system which is designed to be capable of delivering on unplanned space security missions. One of the main applications of the system will be performing emergency collision avoidance calls involving large space debris. The company plans to complete its first orbital defence demonstration by 2026." #SpaceDebris #ActiveDebrisRemoval #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceTrafficeManagement #SpaceSustainability UPDATE: company website illustrates their concept ... interesting: https://www.dark-space.co/ (dark-space.co URL)