1. Space Evaders
Project Steer Clear
Increased use of space is leading to much higher probability of collisions and
a rapidly expanding volume of debris. This propagation of collisions has the
potential to become a Kessler cascade that would render Low Earth Orbit
unusable in the future. Our team is using data methods to find ways to
prevent debris-causing collisions.
52
Sponsor
Amber Charlesworth
Mentor
Pablo Quintanilla
Mentor
Bart Burstein
Kate Boudreau Dave Gabler Tyler Dammann Matthew Kaseman
10
in total
this week
Interviews
2. Interviewee Hypothesis Experiment Results
State Department
sponsor
A data-sharing platform
with satellite pre and
post launch data would
be helpful.
Showed sponsor the
MVP with the information
and asked how she would
use it.
- This would be
extremely helpful to
our sponsor’s day to
day life
State Department
sponsor
Gov. agencies are
willing to help maintain
such a database.
Inquire about who should
own this database.
- Willing to contribute,
want access to other
stuff
FAA Would want to share
data with other agencies
and have visibility into
the progress of others
MVP 2.0 - Gov report Most data didn’t care
about.
FCC license could
help on-orbit
enforcement
leverage.
3. Interviewee Hypothesis Experiment Results
Commercial
satellite operator 1
Satellite operators would
be able to do their job
more effectively given
the contact information
and governmental info of
other operators
New MVP - online
platform including the
contact and
governmental info of
other operators
- Rarely needs this
(couple times/year)
- Useful, but can get
elsewhere
Commercial
satellite operator 2
Satellite operators would
be able to do their job
more effectively given
the contact information
and governmental info of
other operators
New MVP - online
platform including the
contact and
governmental info of
other operators
- Some attributes are
very useful, including
contact information
- Some are less
useful, such as the
location data
University one-off
satellite operator
They are less connected
to key information and
have less robust plans
about CA response
New MVP and ask for
description of CA
response plan
- Disconnected from
other operators, but
don’t have much need
either.
- CA avoidance plan
is to launch low/decay
fast
4. Collision data process
Prediction
models
Data In Data Out Operator
Decision
Mediocre
accuracy
Limited
predictive
capability
Compounding
mediocre
collision
probability
Fuel and
political
incentive to
not move
5. Politics of maneuver choices after collisionReceiveawarning?
Maneuver?
Why didn’t you do
something?
Y
N
N Y
It’s a dangerous
place & we got
unlucky
It’s a dangerous
place & we got
unlucky
So you’re saying
that WE caused
this?
You’re fired.
6. Bottom line
Government agencies:
- Information gaps, nothing really “painful”
- No clear relevance to collision avoidance
Commercial Operators:
- Give due diligence to collision avoidance
- Won’t improve without actually reliable data/predictions
Insurance:
- Operating in pricing bubble
- Collisions = extremely minor part of on-orbit losses
- Expect changes after next big collision.
7. Major Players / Saboteurs
Government Data Sharing
Platform
Operator Data Sharing Platform
Key
Players
Give Data:
- JSpOC
- FAA
- FCC
- NOAA RSO
- NASA Launch Services
Receive Data:
- State Department
- JSpOC
- Commercial satellite operators
- Government satellite operators
Saboteurs - Unknown - Private SSA providers
Problem:
Major pain point found
Only one person
beneficiary
Problem:
Many potential beneficiaries
No major pain point found
(relatively effective
workarounds).
8. ty;
Mission Model Canvas
Beneficiaries
Mission AchievementMission Budget/Costs
Buy-In/Support
Deployment
Value PropositionKey Activities
Key Resources
Key Partners
█JSpOC (DM)
█Ken Hodgkins at
OES/SAT
█Current regulatory
bodies (SE & KK at
FAA/FCC/NOAA)
█NASA ISS Mission
Director
- tracking inter-agency
data transfers
- Find ways to
determine contact info
for operators
- Existing databases
- Our neutrality in
interagency politics
████ Improved sharing
of data (both
directions).
██ Low cost methods to
prevent losses to very
expensive, hard to
replace items in space
██ Increase ability to
predict collisions with
accuracy
██ Better ability to
predict orbital risk
██ Increased access to
other operators, saving
time and allowing
processes to be
automated
█Commercial willing to
supply data and follow
best practices.
█Government
resources capable of
improving general SSA
and conjunction
analysis
█Access to academic
data to improve SSA
- Aggregate existing
databases
- Test improvements in
workflow of
beneficiaries
- Efficiently distribute to
relevant stakeholders
►AC: (quarterly
quality control;
receive/send UN data)
►MJ: (needs more
sharing & access to
advance science)
►DM: conjunction
analyst (uncorrelated
tracks)
►JC: Industrial
satellite operators
(having to sift through
useless CAs while
finding the legitimate
ones)
- Access to databases (subscriptions)
- Potential travel costs
- Cost of maintaining a web platform
- Develop a more efficient method for
distribution/information-sharing of collision-preventing
information
- Provide contact information and interagency
cooperation amongst satellite operators and regulatory
industries.
10. MVP (next week)
Hypothesis: Improved contact knowledge and communication ability among satellite operators would lead
to an easier decision-making process and a lower probability to current and future collisions.
11. Value Proposition Canvas
Products
& Services
Customer
Jobs
John,
satellite operator for a
commercial space-based company.
Gains
Pains
Gain Creators
Pain
Relievers
►Many Conjunction
Alerts.
►Coordination with
other operators
█ Minimize risk, fuel cost,
and time investment related
to conjunction risks.
█ Improved
understanding of
Conjunction Alerts.
█ Reduce time to make
contact with other
operators.
- Easy to
access
information
about other
operators
►Complete profitable
satellite operations.
- Accomplish
mission
- Avoid
collisions
Customer Archetype (Satellite Operator)
● 44-year-old space industry veteran with 15+
years in the industry
● Hired to monitor/adjust satellite position to
ensure customer needs can be met.
● Very passionate about his job
● Enjoys problem-solving, dislikes wasted time
● Wants to be a good citizen of space
Mission Achievement:
● Reduced time spent on conjunction analysis
● Reduced stress surrounding potential
collisions
12. Value Proposition Canvas
Products
& Services
Customer
Jobs
DK,
conjunction analyst at
JSpOC
Gains
Pains
Gain Creators
Pain
Relievers
►Single-source data
►Ad hoc ephemeris
data usage█ Fewer uncorrelated tracks
█ Improved responsiveness
from operators
█ Better data for conjunction
analysis
█ Internally check data sources
- Standardized
data sharing
- Better
information flow
from operators
- Easier
communication
►Track and identify
orbital objects
► Protect USMIL and
other satellites
- Predict
conjunctions
- Protect DoD
assets
- Find/sign-up
more
operators
Customer Archetype (DoD Official)
● Middle aged with a military background
● Loyal to JSpOC and its mission
● Hopeful for the future of tracking capabilities
● Respectful of authority
● Looking to advance U.S. interests
● Mindful of classified data
● Looking to advance personal career
● Probably risk-averse
Mission Achievement:
● Reduced pressure to provide contact
information
13. - Useful information
- Easily accessible
- Secure sources of data
- Industry leader in ease of
data sharing
- Direct sales
- Include link to chat room
with JSpOC conjunction
warnings
- Useful information
- Easily accessible
- Develop content to meet
needs
- Rapid response to UI
and platform change
requests
- Incremental product
improvement to relieve
customer pain points
- Useful information
- Easily accessible
- Platform is industry norm
- Expand into other need
areas of our customers
- Encourage
communication about
services among operators
Buy-in:
1) Commercial
2) JSpOC
14. New areas of customer discovery
- Space-borne options to obtain better data
- Object shape information possibilities
- International user experience
- Software to standardize ephemeris data
from different sources