A sensor-centric approach to space traffic management

A pressing issue and a case for a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) reformation are the current "operationally" deemed processes and procedures regarding Orbital Conjunction/Collision Assessment. With the growth of orbital traffic and debris, conjunction warnings are increasingly being treated as false alarms due to the high amount of uncertainty associated with current observational data. Building upon previous research, this paper presents a sensor-orientated approach to resident space object position. A mathematical framework is developed that exploits real-time navigation measurements, tracking observables to providing a sound methodology that supports SSA activities including separation assurance and collision avoidance among multiple space objects. In line with envisioned SSA evolutions, the advantage of the method is its ability to accurately represent sensor characteristics in the form of an avoidance volume that is described (and exchanged) in computationally efficient manner, while supporting both top-down and bottom-up approaches to sensor safety assessment and certification. The proposed method is applied to a representative case of on-orbit survellience as well as discussing the approaches implications and evolutions required for future SSA and Space Traffic Management (STM) Cyber-Physical Systems.