CANSO Academy: Understanding Space Launch and Re-entry Operations, International Coordination Needs and Processes
As the sophistication and re-useability of space vehicles increases, so do the challenges for air traffic managers to manage the airspace around launch and re-entry points.
Launch decisions are often made within 24-hours, demanding the need for quick and flexible responses to ensure the safety of the airspace around a launch pad.
To discuss these pressures, and their potential mitigation, CANSO held a new webinar aimed at improving the global understanding of space launch and re-entry operations and coordination processes from both industry and governmental perspectives.
International coordination should be a collaborative, flexible and transparent process and may require the exchange of information through primary and secondary systems. The NOTAM exchange system should form the heart of the primary exchange system while ancillary collaborative decision-making (CDM), information sharing platforms should be established or leveraged to meet the needs of indirect participants that might need the information for Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) planning purposes.
At the webinar, delegates had the chance to discuss various considerations including timelines, operational constraints, risks, regulations and requirements when preparing for space launch and re-entry operations. International government agencies and industry also emphasised the need for timely and effective coordination between affected ANSPs and explained why that process can only happen within a short window before launch day.
The webinar also included a session on international coordination lessons learned and best practices, during which the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed a potential standard coordination process they developed and tested, based on those past lessons learned.
Download the slides, watch the replay, read the Q&A
The slides from this event are available to CANSO Members.
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If you are not a CANSO Member but you would like to see the slides, please contact Ricgard.Hijnekamp@CANSO.org with your request.
Watch the replay
Read more about what we covered and our speakers
The webinar covered:
- Background information on space launch and re-entry coordination products – Aircraft Hazard Areas (AHAs)
- Why the international coordination process between ANSPs can not start weeks before a launch
- The need for ANSPs to designate a single point of contact to handle coordination process between ANSPs, and why it is critical for open and continuous communication to be maintained from the time coordination begins until the time re-entry is complete
- What information should be included in a space launch NOTAM, how that information should be formatted, and who needs to receive it
- Why email exchanges are not effective/appropriate to handle the international coordination of space launch details
- Important differences between commercial space and military launches from an ASNP perspective
- How flexible a space launch operator can and cannot be when trying to achieve the goals of their mission
- The difference of primary coordination (conducted between the ASNPs that are directly affected) and secondary coordination (which may be done through a CDM process and include ANSPs that may not be directly affected but may need to know about the launch for ATFM/CDM planning purposes)
- What to consider when developing a regulatory framework that will enable the safe integration of Space Operatons into existing airspace structures
- What an ANSP can expect after receiving a notification their airspace will be affected by a space launch originating outside their area of responsibility
Our speakers
- Scott Leis, Operations Programme Manager, CANSO
- Lance King, Co-Chair of CANSOs UAS and Emerging Technologies Workgroup, Northrop Grumman Corp
- Hannah Browne, Air Traffic Control Specialist, Space Operations, FAA ATO
- Patrick Giles, Manager, ATM Portfolio, Design & Benefits, NATS
- Camille Baker. Manager, U.S. NOTAM Office
- Stacey M. Zee, Manager, Operations Support Branch, Office of Commercial Space Transportation, FAA
- Emily Sisneros, Operational Safety Directorate, FAA
- Kalesi Samanunu Cagi, Coordinator Information Support, Aeronautical Information Service, Fiji Airports
- Allison Crutchfield, Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs, SpaceX
- Javier Venegas, Latin American and Caribbean Regional Director, CANSO