Jim Shell’s Post

New PRC paper of interest: detection of GEO satellite maneuvers from a space-based optical sensor. Open access paper here: https://lnkd.in/gYTP3QNg (mdpi.com URL) #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceSituationalAwareness

Oh yeah, we have Russian ASATs on orbit! A few months is an eternity when it comes to the fast pace of changes and activities in the space domain....but you may recall Russia launched an ASAT on 16 May 2024, COSMOS 2576 (59773), let's check up on it! COSMOS 2576 continues to make periodic maneuvers--both in-track and inclination adjustments. The most recent maneuvers were made 27-29 June 2024 (ref graphic). Of interest to note that both altitude adjustments made so far have actually consisted of three separate sets of maneuvers (likely six separate maneuvers a la Hohmann transfer style). Excerpt from 21 May 2024 SpaceNews article (https://lnkd.in/g-vxaK6P), where "he" is US Amb. Robert Wood: “Just last week, on May 16, Russia launched a satellite into low Earth orbit that the United States assesses is likely a counterspace weapon, presumably capable of attacking other satellites in low Earth orbit,” he said. “Russia deployed this new counterspace weapon into the same orbit as a U.S. government satellite.” I'm being lazy right now - if someone has the primary source for the actual US gov't public release, please throw it out here (would be nice if "Space News" provided better references). (Orbit data from space-track.org, used with permission per ODR 24-002-4)

YASDE! (Yet Another Space Debris Event) Another PRC launch with a CZ-6A rocket, another #SpaceDebris event (sigh). On 4 Jul 2024, China launched a CZ-6A rocket out of Taiyuan placing the Tinhui 5 Group 02 "cartography surveying" satellites into LEO. Less than 24 hours after launch Swiss company s2a systems imaged object 2024-126D (SATNO 60214) and observed numerous debris fragments (parent object in 608 x 496 km orbit). Reference the following X posts by s2a systems from which the animation and image below are sourced: * Initial observation: https://lnkd.in/grXkFCsQ * The amazing video (excerpt below-see original X post for full quality-amazing) https://lnkd.in/g6X_re6P It is unlikely any of these objects will be cataloged by U.S. Space Command and appear on space-track.org. Modest optical systems in rate track on short range LEO objects have adequate sensitivity to detect signatures typical of cm-sized objects. These are likely higher area/mass objects such as thin films from thermal control blankets with low radar cross section (RCS). While we often talk of the "lethal non-trackable" population of #SpaceDebris in the 2-10 cm diameter class, it is likely objects impacted by these fragments would not suffer a catastrophic failure (subject to much debate). However, this is obviously highly undesired. China, what is the root cause of these incidents? #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceSituationalAwareness Office of Space Commerce

What? Reads a bit too much like a direct ascent anti-satellite weapon (DA-ASAT) - pretty sure that is NOT the intent here.... Anyone have more? https://bit.ly/3Wetrl7 (resolves to a europeanspaceflight.com URL). Article excerpt: "Founded in 2021, Dark is developing its Interceptor system which is designed to be capable of delivering on unplanned space security missions. One of the main applications of the system will be performing emergency collision avoidance calls involving large space debris. The company plans to complete its first orbital defence demonstration by 2026." #SpaceDebris #ActiveDebrisRemoval #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceTrafficeManagement #SpaceSustainability UPDATE: company website illustrates their concept ... interesting: https://www.dark-space.co/ (dark-space.co URL)

Time to check out the UN satellite registry and compile satellite names which have not been identified (named) in space-track.org as of 06 July 2024. The graphic below contains 99 satellites (sorted by SATNO) having a name in the UN registry, but only a basic "OBJECT (alpha)" designation on space-track.org. As mentioned in an earlier post, only satellites launched through the end of 2022 have been registered by China. The next PRC registration drop will presumably provide positive identification of many more satellites. #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceSituationalAwareness #SpaceTrafficManagement #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior Office of Space Commerce

Hypervelocity impact dynamics of thin film #SpaceDebris - any pointers? Given our awareness of the numerous recent events producing space debris with large populations of higher area/mass objects...I started pondering the effects of thin films impacting intact objects / operational satellites. No surprise, but I'm not finding meaningful research in this area - so a request to anyone who can help point me to relevant research: --> "What are the effects of thin films having masses on the order of single digit grams when they are the impactor in hypervelocity collisions?" There is substantial research on thin film layers (e.g., thermal control blankets, MLI) being impacted by hypervelocity particles (e.g., Heather Cowardin's paper https://lnkd.in/g_XmMMZm), but what if the impactor is the thin film? Suspect accelerating a thin film to 10 km/s and impacting larger objects is not exactly easy....vacuum required for starters and the mechanical properties of the thin film withstanding the acceleration may also be problematic. More "YASDE" updates coming on these recent events.... #SpaceTrafficManagement #SpaceSustainability #SpaceSituationalAwareness #SpaceDomainAwareness

PRC very low earth orbit (VLEO) watch. On May 21, 2024, China launched four satellites from Jiuquan using a Kuaizhou-11 (KZ-11) commercial launch vehicle. One of these four satellites is thought to be slated for VLEO. There have been no evident maneuvers by these satellites until 26 or 27 June, or some 5 weeks after launch. SATNO 59811 (OBJECT B) has started an apparent series of maneuvers to lower the orbit, perhaps suggesting it may be our VLEO candidate? (It also has the lowest decay rate, perhaps suggesting a VLEO-friendly lower drag profile)?? #SpaceDomainAwareness #VLEO Orbital data courtesy of space-track.org

#SpaceSustainability #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior #SpaceTrafficManagement Go GOES Go! (Update #1) If you want the backstory please read this earlier LinkedIn post: https://lnkd.in/gaCRkq7i The effort to properly move the GOES 13 satellite (SATNO 29155) out of the GEO Protected Region into the graveyard orbit continues. This week the perigee exceeded geosynchronous altitude, with perigee GEO + 5 km as of 2024-07-04 (ref graphic). Go GOES Go! (Data courtesy of space-track.org)

New PRC paper on spectral characterization (optical) of GEO satellites with empirical results from the 80 cm Yaoan High Precision Telescope (YAHPT) at Yao'an Astronomical Observatory. Open access paper here: https://lnkd.in/gmuUkX44 (resolves to a doi.org URL) #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceObjectCharacterization

It has now been more than 1 year since China provided a space object registration submission to the United Nations (last one dated 5 June 2023-ref image). And that submission was only for objects launched until the end of 2022. Presumably a new PRC submission will be occurring soon? https://lnkd.in/gWv_sskA (resolves to a unoosa.org URL) #SpaceDomainNormsOfBehavior #SpaceDomainAwareness #SpaceTrafficCoordination