Global space conference highlights trends in automation and space debris issues (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

16 May 2008

Global space conference highlights trends in automation and space debris
issues

The SpaceOps 2008 conference ended today, wrapping up a week-long programme
that highlighted growing trends in automation, multi-satellite control
systems and an increasing awareness of space debris issues.

The bi-annual SpaceOps 2008 conference ended 16 May after a successful week
of presentations, seminars and discussions focused on mission control
technology and spaceflight operations. SpaceOps 2008 was attended by
engineers, scientists, policy makers and academics from most major space
agencies in the world as well as private industry.

"We are seeing definite trends toward more automation and virtualisation in
the area of spacecraft operations. These are required not only because
deep-space and near-Earth missions are becoming more complex, but also
because all spacecraft operators must rationalise infrastructure and reduce
costs. These are strong challenges, but ones that the community will
achieve," said Paolo Maldari, conference co-chairperson from ESA's Space
Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany.

Maldari said that presentations during the week also highlighted a growing
trend toward multi-satellite control systems, in which a single set of
control infrastructure on the ground can operate more than one satellite.
This can be a cost-effective response to the increasing requirement to use
fleets of multiple spacecraft for Earth-observation missions or for
sophisticated science investigations in near-Earth space.

"We also saw and heard a great deal on the growing requirements for
end-to-end spacecraft operation services, in which all aspects of flight
operations are provided in an integrated manner, freeing the owner of the
satellite to focus on the scientific results generated from the mission,"
said Maldari.

Astronaut night boosts public participation

On 15 May, SpaceOps 2008 included a unique public space show, "Zwischen
Himmel und Erde -- Astronauten erzahlen, Satelliten erklaren" ("Between
Heaven and Earth -- Astronauts Report, Satellites Explain").

The programme included multimedia presentations on Earth Observation,
weather and climate together with appearances by two German astronauts, Hans
Schlegel and Thomas Reiter.

The event helped boost public participation in SpaceOps -- normally only
attended by specialists -- by illustrating the many benefits to Europe's
citizens generated by space activity.

Space debris generates buzz

One of the best-attended seminars at SpaceOps 2008 was a special break-out
session focusing on space debris, a topic of growing concern to the
international space-faring community.

Maldari emphasised that the message to attendees was blunt: "No one who
flies in low-Earth orbit or in the commercially crucial geosynchronous orbit
can any longer afford to ignore the threat posed by continued unsustainable
practises of spacecraft disposal and debris creation that have been common
in the past," said Maldari.

The SpaceOps 2008 'Best Paper' award went to a CNES (French space agency)
paper on Space Debris entitled "Operational Management of Collision Risks
for LEO Satellites at CNES" by F. Laporte and E. Sasotte.

SpaceOps provides excellent overview of the future

According to Maldari, participants were provided an excellent overview of
future plans and developments in the space operations community in the
coming years. "It was great to have the Russians and Chinese representatives
taking part; it was great to see what the Russians are planning for Mars --
it's very ambitious," he added.

He said that future missions are becoming increasingly complex and one of
the key elements in future operations outlined throughout the conference was
international cooperation based on interoperability of mission support
infrastructure. This calls for the adoption of common standards in the
conception and implementation of future missions, both on board the
satellite and on ground.

About SpaceOps

SpaceOps 2008 was organised by ESA and EUMETSAT (the European Organisation
for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), in cooperation with the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

SpaceOps is the world's top conference focusing on space operations. The
bi-annual event provides a technical and managerial forum for the global
space operations community addressing state-of-the-art spacecraft operations
principles, methods and tools.

The conference is organised in turn by members of the International
Committee for Space Mission Operations and Ground Data Systems (the
'SpaceOps Organisation'), which include representatives of most spacecraft
operating organisations and institutions. SpaceOps 2008 is the 10th edition
of the SpaceOps conference and is being jointly organised by ESA, the
European Space Agency, and EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.

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