Stopping Space Collisions
Stanford University, Spring 2016
Problem Statement
The Office of Space and Advanced Technology (SAT) needs a way to stop collisions from satellites and space debris from making space unusable.
Problem Scoping and Discovery
The team conducted 102 interviews with SAT operators and private satellite owners. They discovered that while SAT has the data to predict collisions and issues warnings to operators, these warnings come with technical uncertainty that makes it difficult for operators to respond appropriately to avoid collisions. The team pivoted from a focus on avoiding collisions with objects already in space to a concentration on objects that will be launched in the future.
Solution Proposed
The team recommended a “debris responsibility score” that would rate satellites before they’re sent into orbit on how much space debris they could generate. The goal of their proposal is to create international standards to reduce space debris.