When
2 p.m., Feb. 22, 2016
Where
Kuiper Space Sciences 312
Dr. Vishnu Reddy
Research Scientist
Planetary Science Institute
Developing an effective Space Situational Awareness Program: Lessons from Physical Characterization of Asteroids
Orbital space around the Earth is a vital resource that is increasingly becoming congested, contested and competitive. Communication, navigation and transportation technologies on Earth depend on assets that operate in the space domain. Currently, the US military catalogs over 17,000 active and inactive satellites around the Earth with thousands more that are too small to actively track. Gravitational and non-gravitational forces perturb these artificial moving objects making the task of predicting their location and behavior extremely challenging. Spectroscopy offers opportunities to understand properties of these objects that are not possible through optical/radar astrometric observations. However, spectral observations of fast moving artificial objects with uncertain positional information is challenging for existing ground-based civilian telescopes. Decades of ground- and space-based spectral observations of natural moving objects (asteroids) have provided us with a roadmap for tackling observational and interpretive issues related to characterization of artificial moving objects. I will lay the groundwork for the talk by illustrating the breadth of my current research in physical characterization of asteroids in the main belt and near-Earth populations, and present a plan to build a research program in Space Situational Awareness of both natural and artificial moving objects at the University of Arizona.
Research Scientist
Planetary Science Institute
Developing an effective Space Situational Awareness Program: Lessons from Physical Characterization of Asteroids
Orbital space around the Earth is a vital resource that is increasingly becoming congested, contested and competitive. Communication, navigation and transportation technologies on Earth depend on assets that operate in the space domain. Currently, the US military catalogs over 17,000 active and inactive satellites around the Earth with thousands more that are too small to actively track. Gravitational and non-gravitational forces perturb these artificial moving objects making the task of predicting their location and behavior extremely challenging. Spectroscopy offers opportunities to understand properties of these objects that are not possible through optical/radar astrometric observations. However, spectral observations of fast moving artificial objects with uncertain positional information is challenging for existing ground-based civilian telescopes. Decades of ground- and space-based spectral observations of natural moving objects (asteroids) have provided us with a roadmap for tackling observational and interpretive issues related to characterization of artificial moving objects. I will lay the groundwork for the talk by illustrating the breadth of my current research in physical characterization of asteroids in the main belt and near-Earth populations, and present a plan to build a research program in Space Situational Awareness of both natural and artificial moving objects at the University of Arizona.
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