US develops satellite collision warning system
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has developed a prototype for a new satellite collision avoidance system.
The system was named OADR, which stands for Open Architecture Data Repository. This is a cloud-based database that collects information about all of Earth’s satellites and issues an alert if it detects a collision threat.
The developers describe the operation of the system as follows. OADR collects space data from observations of the sky using several sensors that cover most of the Earth. The system is connected to both US state-owned ground stations and private stations, especially private stations in the Southern Hemisphere. Added to this data is information about solar radiation, which affects the height of the atmospheric boundary, as well as satellite telemetry and their maneuvering plans.
Based on the information received, the OADR compiles a picture of the orbital position and calculates the trajectories for the next several days. If the automation detects an interruption, it will send a warning to the satellite operators. Ideally, the warning should come a few days in advance.
The developers said that the system is still under development. Before it can be launched, it is necessary to debug the data collection mechanisms and automatically calculate the path.
