[MOIMS-NAV-EXEC] Data messages for re-entry and fragmentation events

[Vallado, David]

Tim,
   I think these could represent valuable pieces of information for dissemination. Thanks for sharing.

dav
David A Vallado
Senior Research Astrodynamicist, CSSI/AGI
719-573-2600, 719-573-9079 FAX, 610-981-8614 direct
Moving things through space and time since 1989. AGI proudly celebrates 25 years<http://blogs.agi.com/agi/2014/01/17/weve-gone-silver-agi-celebrates-25-years/>!

From: moims-nav-exec-bounces at mailman.ccsds.org [mailto:moims-nav-exec-bounces at mailman.ccsds.org] On Behalf Of Tim.Flohrer at esa.int
Sent: Monday, September 07, 2015 6:07 AM
To: moims-nav-exec at mailman.ccsds.org
Cc: Alexandru.Mancas at esa.int; Holger.Krag at esa.int
Subject: [MOIMS-NAV-EXEC] Data messages for re-entry and fragmentation events

Dear colleagues,

as mentioned and very briefly discussed at the last telecon of the MOIMS Navigation Working Group, we are working at ESA on data formats that cover the exchange of information on re-entry and fragmentation events. This work has been triggered by actual needs from the operational support that ESA's Space Debris Office is providing to missions, and, in parallel, during the developments and architectural analysis performed in ESA's SSA program in the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) segment. My colleague Luis Martin (my predecessor in the working group for the SSA/SST) made a first statement on planned developments at the London meeting of the CCSDS.

With this email we want to provide to you additional information on both formats. It would be very interesting for us to learn about your opinions and expectations on whether such topics are of interest for a wider community and, hence, on whether the working group may want to address these needs.

We are ready to give more detailed presentations on the drafted data messages at the Darmstadt meeting.

Best regards,
Tim and Alexandru


Re-entry Data Message (RDM)
The exchange of spacecraft re-entry event data has been developed for the ESA SSA/SST project. The used format is inspired by CCSDS messages.

Satellite operators exchange several types of messages already covered by CCSDS, describing orbits, observations, attitude state and conjunctions. However, currently no message for spacecraft (re-)entry exists.

Predictions on re-entry epochs, sometimes also including the estimated location, are already exchanged at technical level, e.g., in the frame of test campaigns run by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC). These test campaigns aim at comparing prediction techniques and tools, and verifying readiness and technical expertise for high-risk re-entry events. With an increase in Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) activities, it is expected that re-entry tracking campaigns will become more frequent and the need for simpler, standardised data exchange will increase. The developed format facilitates data sharing and interoperability, for example for analysis and visualisation. For instance, during the last orbits of a re-entering spacecraft, agency A might not have the sensors to track the spacecraft, but agency B does and provides up to date information about the re-entry (such as the projected impact location), without having to exchange tracking data.

The Re-entry Data Message contains information about an object entering the Earth's atmosphere. It is not intended to describe a controlled re-entry, or a landing, or to provide detailed orbit information for the object. Re-entry data are expected to be exchanged between entities monitoring the space environment, spacecraft operators and national or international authorities. The types of information currently exchanged in re-entry monitoring campaigns include: object name, class and properties (mass, cross-sectional area), the predicted epoch and location of the re-entry event, and the concise description of used models.

A CCSDS-like Re-entry Data Message has been drafted for the ESA SSA/SST system and aims at enabling a simpler exchange of re-entry data between different entities and/or agencies.

Fragmentation Data Message (FDM)
The exchange of spacecraft fragmentation event descriptions has been developed for the ESA SSA/SST project. The used format is inspired by CCSDS messages.

A system observing the space environment and determining the orbits of the covered objects can determine when and where a fragmentation event occurred, and can issue the appropriate warnings. With an increase in Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) activities, it is expected that fragmentation detection campaigns will become more frequent and the need for simple, standardised data exchange will increase. The developed format facilitates data sharing and interoperability, e.g., for analysis and visualisation. For example, agency A does not have fragmentation detection capabilities and a fragmentation event occurs in the same orbital regime as one of its spacecraft. Agency B does have the capability and provides agency A with the fragmentation information, which enables agency A to assess the risk to its spacecraft, without having to exchange tracking data.

The Fragmentation Data Message contains information about fragmentation events in orbit around Earth. It is not intended to provide detailed orbit information for the originator or the generated fragments. Fragmentation data includes, as far as available, information about the progenitor object (physical properties, COSPAR ID, etc.), spatial coordinates and epoch of the fragmentation event, the spread in orbital properties of the fragments, a list of fragments and their detection epochs, and the increase in object spatial density due to the fragmentation event. If the fragmentation was caused by a collision, the properties of the second colliding spacecraft and the reference to the CDM describing the conjunction can also be exchanged as an option.

A CCSDS-like Fragmentation Data Message has been drafted for the ESA SSA/SST system and aims at enabling for a simpler exchange of fragmentation data between different entities and/or agencies.

--
Tim Flohrer, PhD
ESA/ESOC Space Debris Office (HSO-GR)
Robert-Bosch-Strasse 5, DE-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
+49-6151-90-3058 (phone), +49-6151-90-2625 (fax)
http://www.esa.int/debris

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