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posted by janrinok on Wednesday June 20 2018, @05:16PM   Printer-friendly
from the wanted,-a-big-vacuum-cleaner dept.

NASA Administrator expresses support for Space Policy Directive-3

With the threat of space debris destroying satellites, crewed spacecraft and even the International Space Station increasing, processes have been initiated to help alleviate and prevent this threat. NASA's new Administrator Jim Bridenstine made several statements about the new Space Policy Directive-3, which was signed by President Trump. During the June 18, 2018, meeting of the National Space Council, Trump signed SPD-3, which directs the U.S. to lead the management of space traffic and mitigate the effects of space debris.

[...] This comes less than a month after the signing of SPD-2, which called for the reform of the United States' commercial space regulatory framework. Additionally, SPD-1 was signed in December 2017, which instructed NASA to return U.S. astronauts to the Moon with the eventual goal of human flights to Mars.

[...] One of the main features of SPD-3 is the management of space debris. It calls for the U.S. to utilize government and commercial technologies to track and monitor debris and set new guidelines for satellite for satellite design and operation.

Additionally, it calls for the update of the U.S. government's Orbital Debris Mitigation Standard Practices, which currently states that spacecraft and upper stages should be designed to eliminate or minimize debris released during normal operations. Additionally, any debris larger than five millimeters that is expected to remain in orbit for more than 25 years is to be justified on the basis of cost and mission requirements.

NASA Administrator statement.

Related: President Trump Signs Space Policy Directive 1
2020s to Become the Decade of Lunar Re-Exploration
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Serious About Returning to the Moon
Jeff Bezos Details Moon Settlement Ambitions in Interview


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  • (Score: 4, Informative) by requerdanos on Wednesday June 20 2018, @05:32PM (1 child)

    by requerdanos (5997) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday June 20 2018, @05:32PM (#695668) Journal

    any debris larger than five millimeters that is expected to remain in orbit for more than 25 years is to be justified on the basis of cost and mission requirements.

    "debris larger than five millimeters": Is a little ambiguous. TFA gives the more clear guideline of "debris larger than 5 mm in any dimension".

    Any debris is to be justified: Actually it's any instance of a qualifying debris release that must be justified (not each piece of debris itself). There's quite a difference between having to justify one release of a hundred bits of debris vs. having to do a hundred justifications, each covering one bit of debris.

    Here's what TFA actually says here:

    Each instance of planned release of debris larger than 5 mm in any dimension that remains on orbit for more than 25 years should be evaluated and justified on the basis of cost effectiveness and mission requirements.

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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Wednesday June 20 2018, @05:55PM

    by frojack (1554) on Wednesday June 20 2018, @05:55PM (#695675) Journal

    evaluated and justified on the basis of cost effectiveness and mission requirements.

    Seems a lot of wiggle room in there. Cost effective for WHO? Probably not the the various satellite operators that have to dodge them for 25 years.
    NASA's policy on dodging:

    Debris avoidance maneuvers are planned when the probability of collision from a conjunction reaches limits set in the space shuttle and space station flight rules. If the probability of collision is greater than 1 in 100,000, a maneuver will be conducted if it will not result in significant impact to mission objectives. If it is greater than 1 in 10,000, a maneuver will be conducted unless it will result in additional risk to the crew.

    Clearly there must be some altitude where even the thin atmosphere will de-orbit stuff quicker than 25 years. I wonder how high that is?

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