Uk Space Agency
Summary
We monitor an average of 19,000 collision risks every month affecting UK satellites. Satellites are critical to our way of life and helping satellite owners avoid collisions is a key mission for the National Space Operations Centre. Our new Monitor Space Hazards platform, launched in June 2024, includes a new feature called Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots. This helps UK satellite operators visualise collision risks and plan avoidance manoeuvres.
Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots
In Earths increasingly important and crowded orbital environment, the ability to plan and undertake precise satellite manoeuvres is essential for preventing avoidable collisions which have the potential to be harmful to both the satellite itself and the orbital environment.
The National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) provides collision warnings to UK operators. We have now made a significant advancement in this area with the launch of a new manoeuvre support feature called Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots. These plots allow satellite operators to visualise the manoeuvre options available to them at any given time during a potential collision situation.
By enabling operators to identify the most effective collision avoidance strategies, these plots not only reduce the risk of in-orbit collisions but also ensure the efficient use of fuel and other resources for satellite longevity.
Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots as viewed on digital devices.
How does it work?
If a potential conjunction event has been assessed as having a chance of collision higher than 0.001%, further calculations are done to determine the probability of this event occurring after a range of possible avoidance manoeuvres. This varying likelihood is depicted in the form of Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots (see image above).
These plots indicate the conjunction probability for this event from the time of identification up to the Time of Closest Approach (TCA) between the two objects. Our analysts regularly review new data as it comes in to inform the results.
What are the benefits?
Manoeuvrable spacecraft have finite fuel reserves for undertaking critical movements to avoid oncoming debris and satellites. This means flight dynamics teams must plan potential manoeuvres carefully to ensure enough fuel is available for future manoeuvres, for example, to avoid potentially catastrophic collisions or to de-orbit at the end of the mission.
Additional information around the risk profile of each manoeuvre can help operators understand risks and implications of their manoeuvre to make better use of their fuel and extend the lifespan of their satellite.
Operators can access further support by contacting the NSpOC orbital analysts.
Conclusion
Manoeuvre Trade Space Plots marks a significant milestone in NSpOCs commitment to advancing space safety and operational efficiency in an increasingly congested orbital environment.
Monitor Space Hazards provides UK satellite operators with detailed visualisations of collision probabilities for various manoeuvres and downloadable data with additional miss distance information. This feature not only enhances operator decision-making information to avoid collisions, but also supports ensuring mission success and long-term sustainability through the avoidance of a collision, efficient use of satellite resources, preserving fuel reserves and extending satellite lifespans.
We are continuously looking to update and develop our services, if you have any requirements that currently have not been met, please email us on monitorspacehazards