Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

The NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has submitted its annual report for 2022 to the U.S. Congress and the NASA Administrator.

In its report, the ASAP has flagged a number of issues and concerns, as well as making recommendations to NASA.

One worrisome topic noted by the ASAP is that the orbital debris hazard persists and continues to grow exponentially as space becomes ever more congested.

“For example, CubeSats and other small satellites are being launched with increasing frequency, and several companies are now deploying mega-constellations with hundreds, or even thousands, of satellites,” the report explains. “Some of these satellites incorporate the use of electric propulsion and autonomous onboard maneuvers with very short turnaround times, increasing the difficulty of tracking and planning for collision avoidance.”

Clutter in the cosmos.
Credit: Used with permission: Melrae Pictures/Space Junk 3D

Close calls are not rare

The report underscores the importance to recognize the prevalence of the issue.

“Orbital debris events and close calls are not rare, but they are in fact becoming more and more frequent as space becomes more congested and as national and international space players—who rightfully seek to leverage the high ground of space for commerce, science, and national prestige—continue to populate the space domain with new satellites.”

The risks are growing, the ASAP feels, and a more strategic approach to the problem is now necessary to arrest the risks and to assure that the domain of space remains sustainable.

Image credit: Roscosmos/NASA

ISS: controlled deorbit

Another area flagged by the ASAP is the controlled deorbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

“Although discussions are ongoing between NASA and the Russian Space Agency to make the controlled deorbit plan more robust, the ASAP reiterates its concern first stated in 2012, about the lack of a well-defined, fully funded controlled re-entry and deorbit plan for the ISS that is available on a timeline that supports the planned ISS retirement,” the report notes.

Furthermore, the ASAP recognizes that the ISS partners are operating at risk, today, without the capability to deal with a contingency situation that would lead to a deorbit.

“The risk to public safety and space sustainability is increasing every year as the orbital altitudes in and around the ISS continue to become more densely populated by satellites, increasing the likelihood that an unplanned emergency ISS deorbit would also impact other resident space objects,” the report says.

Credit: NASA

Board of directors

The NASA Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel has recommended the space agency should create a “board of directors.”

“As a part of an overall risk management approach and in order to develop and execute its strategic vision for the future of space exploration, the ASAP says that NASA should establish and provide leadership through a ‘board of directors’ that includes the Center Directors and other key officials, “with the emphasis on providing benefit to the Agency’s mission as a cohesive whole, and not to the individual components of the Agency.”

In a January 23 transmittal letter of the report to NASA chief, Bill Nelson, a noteworthy risk area for Agency attention is namely the future of missions in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO).

“While lunar and deep space exploration grow in prominence, the key role played by operations in LEO toward understanding and managing exploration risk cannot be discounted,” says Patricia Sanders, Chair of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.

To access the full 2022 ASAP report, go to:

https://oiir.hq.nasa.gov/asap/documents/ASAP_2022_Annual_Report.pdf