NASA CoLab: Luna Philosophie: Space Traffic

Date: 27 August 2007

The fourth Luna Philosophie will aim to explore the issues and concerns that have arisen recently regarding Space traffic. we will also explore how they are reflective of the concerns that we face here on Earth and the correlation between the two.

Civil, military and commercial satellites from all nations alike face an increasing problem from the overcrowding of certain orbits by satellites and debris. Measures will need to be devised on how to manage space traffic if we are to minimize the risk of physical collisions and radio interference and thus maximize the ability of actors to use space freely. This area is at a complex interplay of technical and engineering problems, political tensions, space law, and important security implications for many nations. It affects all space activity, civil, military and commercial and from all nations. This Team Project will develop a system of space traffic management, including its technical and legal aspects, that will continue to allow freedom of use of space without interference in the age where there are more spacecraft and more space actors.

Go to http://colab.arc.nasa.gov/stm for more information.