Space Transportation OperationsWorking Group (STOWG)

Report to COMSTACOctober 7, 2010

Debra Facktor LeporeActing Chair

Actions since May 2010

Held 2 Telecons (July 21 and September 17)Gathered input on FAA/AST report “CONOPS on Global

Space Vehicle Debris Threat Management”Brainstormed top issues of space transportation

operations and need to develop a framework that can be used to capture integrated operations

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WG Meeting Agenda – Oct 6, 2010

CONOPS Report on Global Space DebrisContinuation of Discussion & Next Steps

Orbital Debris ComplianceWhat if voluntary standards become required?

Top 5 Issues and Framework for STOWGOpen Discussion

CONOPS for Global Space Vehicle Debris Threat ManagementDraft CONOPS report presented to STOWG in May

2010; FAA/AST requested inputsComplex and “technically dense” report, requires

significant attention to readSubset of broader CONOPS for overall space vehicle

operations, originally developed in 2004 (see FAA/AST website)

Proposed CONOPS based on “no closure of airspace” during space vehicle launch and reentry and taking fast and appropriate action in the airspace only when a confirmed anomaly occurs

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CONOPS Discussion

How to track vehicles above the airspaceHow did X-37 handle reentry proceduresBalance of focus on “failure and destruction” vs “normal

nominal” operations (and what does that mean)STOWG needs more views from operators, especially of

new operatorsNo solution yet; ongoing dialogue still needed

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Recommended Updates for Next Draft of CONOPS ReportClearly express the context of this CONOPS as a subset

within other CONOPSConsider the following issues

Orbital vs suborbital vehicles Launch breakup vs reentry breakup Repeatability of operations Frequency of operations Requirements for special equipment onboard new vehicles Cost and benefits of increased flexibility of not closing the

airspace vs the price of that flexibility Liability insurance

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Action #1

Continue to reach out to various associations whose members would be interested in this report

Hold quarterly STOWG telecons, with FAA/AST representatives present, to create a mechanism for open discussion between industry and government

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Orbital Debris Compliance In October 2009, joint STOWG / Risk Management WG

meeting addressed orbital debris See presentations on FAA/AST website from Nick Johnson (NASA JSC)

and Elizabeth Gonzales

FAA/AST posed 5 questions to industry, broadly focused on what are the costs (economic, business, opportunity, competitive, etc) of complying with voluntary orbital debris standards and what would the costs/effect be if these standards become required Compliance for post-mission disposal Cost to maneuver upper stage to an orbit with 25-year lifetime Cost to move upper stage to storage orbit Cost to perform controlled deorbit Impact of eliminating/minimizing debris <5mm that stays on orbit more

than 25 years

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Discussion Input received to date is anecdotal:

No cost (doesn’t apply to suborbital vehicle) $1M (cost of adding a solid rocket motor) Cost already included in price of a launch

Conducting more on-orbit maneuvers impacts launch performance and thus customer/market share

Will there be a level playing field with foreign launchersNew space policy makes waivers harder to getCompliance with international treaties important, but more

interesting is creating incentive for “good behavior” to stop creating more debris

Challenge to get more meaningful input, without disclosing proprietary information in a public forum, and how to measure the data if it could be collected

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Action #2

Re-pose the 5 questions with a cover sheet explaining the context of the request and the potential effect No plan to levy a new regulation, but need to prepare for this

eventuality and/or the international community moving toward more enforceable standards and regulations

Query the launch vehicle operators for their reponsesConsider whether this is a task for the new Center of

Excellence, e.g., development of cost model and analysis of economic data, and whether launch vehicle operators would be willing to share proprietary data to make the analysis and results meaningful

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Top 5 Issues for STOWG – From May 2010

1. Commonality/standards/definitions for FAA licensed operations of launch sites

– Human

– Space vehicle (Spacecraft, capsules, and LV)

– Licensing

– Spaceports

2. Airspace management

– Safety

– Integration into current and NextGen airspace

– Situational awareness

– Reentry Debris (immediate notification)

– Orbital Debris (upper stages)

3. Operations

– Ground operations

– Launch license (to include suborbital)

– In-space operations: spaceflight participant/passenger, fuel depot, etc

– Return/recovery

4. Market status & capability

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Proposed Framework for Integrated Space OperationsDiscussed draft approach to create a framework for the

development of a systems-based, integrated operations framework for suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight

Need for a “systems of systems” approach for operationsNextGen is also looking at systems of systems – how do

space operations fit into that?Work in progress

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Action #3

Distribute draft framework for review, solicit feedback, discuss in the next STOWG telecon

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Open Discussion

Social problem of orbital debris National Park / International Park analogy Removing debris more expensive than not creating it

Next Gen How space vehicles fit into the evolving system; space industry

needs to understand this system to put future CONOPS into context

What is the cost of complying and equipping for NextGen?

FAA/AST role in commercial “human rating” process at NASA

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Wrap-Up

Recommend a specialized briefing on NextGen to STOWG and full COMSTAC in May 2011 Update on CONOPS, issues for industry, etc (not a report on

process)

Schedule series of telecons (quarterly) to facilitate open dialogue on: CONOPS (launch/reentry and others) Orbital debris compliance Framework for integrated space operations Current events that may affect space operations

Full COMSTAC members and other WG members welcome to participate

Join the STOWG email distribution list!

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