Space Debris and the Future of Space Flight

Date and Time
TBA

Location
TBA

Instructor
Marshall H. Kaplan, Ph.D.

Course Description

Since 1957, artificial satellites and launch vehicles have created an ever growing number of orbiting debris objects, from a few microns to several meters in size. In recent years a number of international agreements have been made to limit the growth rate of debris. However, there is no serious program to reduce the amount of existing debris.

Recent developments such as the proliferation of debris from the Chinese ASAT test of 2007 and the 2009 collision of an Iridium satellite with a Russian Cosmos have raised level of urgency to actively manage the debris situation. Mitigation approaches have been pursued and many reduction techniques have been suggested. Most new spacecraft are now able to maneuver out of the way at their end of life. But, little is being done to reduce existing debris.

This special and timely course attempts to explain the dangers and the options associated with the growing debris problem.

Objectives

• The nature and history of orbital debris and the space environment
• Hazards of space flight with debris
• Recent debris propagation and collision events
• Debris management and mitigation approaches
• Methods of spacecraft protection
• The ultimate solution: a debris reduction program
• Costs associated with the debris hazard
• Policy and legal implication

Who Should Attend

• Space industry and government executives and decision makers
• Satellite program managers
• Launch vehicle and satellite insurance underwriters
• Space policy writers and lawyers
• Anyone wishing to gain insight into the space debris issue
  

Course Outline

The Nature of Space Flight and Debris Production

• Dynamics of orbiting around the Earth
• The sources of space debris and what happens to it
• Description of the dangers to operating spacecraft
• Basic definitions

Density and Distribution of Orbiting Debris

• Description of debris sizes and numbers
• Near-term and long-term implications
• Build up of collision events
• The “do-nothing” scenario

The Debris Hunters

• Tracking space debris
• Space situational awareness
• Shortcomings of today’s technology
• Needed new technologies to predict debris impacts

International Treaties and Agreements on Space Debris

• The main debris study sources
• International committees and working groups
• Most recent findings related to debris mitigation and management
• New treaties needed to facilitate debris reduction

A New Space Program to Address Debris Reduction

• Technologies and Methods of debris reduction
• Early experiments to test possible solutions
• Debris reduction architectures
• Cost estimates

Impact of Debris Reduction on the Overall Space Program and Industry

• New launch vehicles for debris clean up
• Special spacecraft for debris collection
• Maintaining normal satellite operations
• Schedules for debris reduction
• Objectives of a debris reduction program

Conclusions

• When to act
• Laying blame
• Paying the price
• The major issues
• Required action

Fee/Registration

Registration fee will beUS$995 per student

Payment in advance via check, VISA or MasterCard preferred credit cards or bank transfer (ask for transfer details).