Synopsis
Here is a summary of the key points from the February 2024 report on orbital debris from the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO):
Overview
- Report is the Orbital Debris Quarterly News, Volume 28, Issue 1, February 2024
- Focuses on the Second International Orbital Debris Conference (IOC II) held in December 2023
- 243 participants from 14 countries attended IOC II
Key Topics
- Risks from small, untracked orbital debris (keynote talk)
- Space debris activities in ESA’s Space Safety Program (keynote talk)
- Highlights of recent ISRO orbital debris and space situational awareness activities (keynote talk)
- History and future perspectives on the orbital debris problem from the IAA (keynote talk)
- 124 technical papers presented at IOC II covering measurements, modeling, reentry, impacts, mitigation, policy, etc.
ISS Collision Avoidance Maneuver
- ISS performed a debris avoidance maneuver on Nov. 10, 2023 to mitigate risk from SL-16 rocket body debris
- 38th such maneuver since 1999
Goldstone Radar Debris Measurements
- Goldstone radar used to measure orbital debris down to ~2 mm in size
- New pointing plan implemented in 2020 to optimize altitude coverage from 700-1000 km
- Data will help update orbital debris models like ORDEM
