Space Weather and Space Junk: Hazards to Satellite Operations

Newswise — Satellites have a lot to dodge these days. Natural hazards, like coronal mass ejections from the Sun, intense radiation, and micrometeoroids " these are part of the natural environment of Earth orbit " what is called space weather.

Add to that mix, human-made hazards, ranging from lost bolts to drifting satellites " labeled as orbital debris, but better known as space junk.

This week space weather experts have gathered for the 2009 Space Weather Workshop, held April 28-May 1 in Boulder, Colorado, a meeting of science, research, applications, operations, and users. The event is sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.

The conference addresses the remarkably diverse impacts of space weather on today's technology, from communications, navigation, spacecraft operations and aviation to a nation's electric power grid.

International Civil Space Situational Awareness

Dr. Suzanne Metlay, Operations Director of Secure World Foundation (SWF), presented April 28 at the meeting "Space Weather and International Civil Space Situational Awareness" .

Metlay wrapped up a session at the workshop dedicated to Space Weather and Satellite Operations, addressing how space weather is a key aspect of a proposed system for international civil space situational awareness (ICSSA) that would help track objects in low Earth orbit, along with positional data and point of contact information.

Space situational awareness involves knowledge of where a satellite is at any given moment, what other objects are around it, and its space environment.

Metlay explained that ICSSA is vital to avoid incidents like last month when the crew of the International Space Station had to hide from a fragment of orbital debris (luckily the crew and the orbiting facility weren't hit) or as in February when two satellites collided in low Earth orbit, completely destroying both satellites."

Metlay added: "The economic consequences of inadequate SSA data collection, poor data sharing, or lack of international coordination can be significant to civil, military and commercial satellite operators."

Key to success

Space weather events such as solar flares can shorten the life expectancy of operating satellites. Ground stations that track the satellites may also suffer if navigational data such as Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite signals are corrupted, leading to signal timing and position errors. The effects of ionization in Earth's atmosphere leading to communications data scatter, interruption or loss are well documented.

Metlay emphasized that "space weather factors are crucial to address when developing an ICSSA program and expertise in space weather is key to its success" .

Secure World Foundation (SWF) encourages the development of an international civil SSA program that includes space weather considerations. Governance, security and user-oriented issues must be addressed as well as a comprehensive scheme for funding and operating the system.

In a wide-ranging review of current concerns, SWF Technical Consultant, Brian Weeden, concludes:

"Such an international civil space situational awareness system is not a dream. All of the essential technical elements exist and there is a demonstrated need. What is lacking is the political will on behalf of both private industry and States to come together and create what is truly needed."

Reporter's Note:

About Secure World Foundation

Secure World Foundation is headquartered in Superior, Colorado, with offices in Washington, D.C. and Vienna, Austria.

The Secure World Foundation is a fully-funded, private operating foundation dedicated to the secure and sustainable use of space for the benefit of Earth and all its peoples.

The Foundation engages with academics, policy makers, scientists and advocates in the space and international affairs communities to support steps that help achieve the secure, sustainable and peaceful uses of outer space with efficient and effective global systems of governance.