Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board
Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems
National Research Council
Committee on Orbital Debris
STATEMENT OF TASK
Drawing upon available data and analyses, the Committee will:
- Characterize the current debris environment (e.g., debris sources, estimated numbers, distribution through various orbits, and implications),
- Project how this environment might change in the absence of new measures to alleviate debris proliferation,
- Examine ongoing alleviation activities and existing space law pertaining to the debris problem,
- Explore measures to address the problem, including further research on debris monitoring and modeling, and methods to minimize debris generation (including spacecraft design, shielding, collision avoidance, and disposal or deorbiting of spent upper stages and spacecraft), and
- Develop a set of recommendations on technical and engineering methods to address the problems of debris proliferation.
In addition to providing recommendations, the Committee will strive to create the climate for future international agreements regarding the basic engineering and technical actions that could be taken to protect the space environment without disrupting on-going space activities.
The Committee will meet approximately four times over the course of the study. The second meeting will be a two-week workshop with approximately twenty additional participants; this workshop will serve to better define the issues, review the current state of knowledge concerning the debris environment, and provide technical assessments regarding its future mitigation.
The Committee's findings and recommendations will be presented in a report targeted at the leadership of space agencies and other concerned parties. The report will be subject to National Research Council report review procedures prior to release.