What role has the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs played in satellite collision avoidance?

The UN Office of Outer Space Affairs has intervened twice in the last 14 months to help prevent potentially devastating incidents between satellites, facilitating communication between operators who are difficult to reach.

Why is it difficult for satellite operators to coordinate collision avoidance maneuvers?

It is difficult for satellite operators to coordinate due to challenges in identifying and contacting counterparts, especially smaller operators or those from countries like China and North Korea.

What solutions are being proposed for the growing problem of space traffic management?

Proposed solutions include establishing a global coordination mechanism, utilizing existing systems like the US Office of Space Commerce's TraCSS, and moving towards automated coordination systems that use API endpoints for constellation communication.

Home / Technology / Satellite Near-Misses Escalate: Who's Answering the Calls?

Satellite Near-Misses Escalate: Who's Answering the Calls?

25 Feb

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Summary

UN Office of Outer Space Affairs intervened twice in 14 months.
Operators struggle to contact counterparts for collision avoidance.
Automated coordination is proposed as a solution for space traffic.

Satellite Near-Misses Escalate: Who's Answering the Calls?

The increasing density of satellites in orbit has led to a critical challenge: difficulty in inter-operator communication for collision avoidance. The United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) has intervened twice in the last 14 months to help prevent potentially devastating incidents. One such incident involved a conjunction between American and Chinese satellites, where UNOOSA facilitated communication after the American operator received no response from the Chinese counterpart.

Another instance occurred in June, when the Malaysian government sought UNOOSA's assistance regarding a close approach between a Malaysian satellite and one from North Korea. While the Malaysian satellite eventually moved, it remained uncertain if this was due to UNOOSA's communication or other factors. These events underscore a broader frustration among satellite operators who find it hard to identify who to contact for potential close approaches.