2020: Space Debris - 2020 Vision |
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| Date: | Wednesday 18th November 2020 |
| Time: | 14:45-17:30 GMT (Log on from 14:15) |
| Downloads: | 2020 EMSTA Seminar Flyer |
| Access to the Seminar: | Registration for this event has closed. |
| Seminar: | |
| Synopsis: | 50 years ago, Neil Armstrong's first footprint on the moon was beamed around the world 'live by satellite'. Today, that same caption, 'live by satellite' is flashed on screen to excuse the slightest imperfection of the transmitted image. We know that more than 100 million bits of junk, ranging from flakes of paint to 4+ tonne satellite and launch parts drifting out of control, are up there travelling at 17,500 mph in a band of altitudes between 200 to 22,300 miles above our planet. All accumulated since the 1950s! More satellites are planned in low and medium earth orbit! To give you some idea of the problem take a look at this fascinating site “Stuff in Space”. This shows the extent to which we use space around our planet and a better idea of what is left as junk. Unless we do something dramatic, we risk: ♦ choking our most precious asset - the planet we live on; ♦ degrading the satellite communication networks we depend on; ♦ blocking our opportunity to explore the other planets of our solar system and the Deep Space of the Cosmos. Comparing space debris to Blue Planet’s “plastic in our oceans” the picture is very clear! So, how do we solve it? The Seminar was organised in two main sessions: presentations by keynote speakers, and an Open Forum, audience Q&A. There was a short break between the main sessions for announcement and awards. After the Welcome from Professor Quintin McKellar CBE, Martin Coleman, Seminar Chairman, introduced the Session and Speakers. In his eye-opening talk, Setting the Space Debris Scene, Moriba Jah drew attention to the overcrowding of orbital space and suggested that international legislation is needed to prevent the traffic jam from reaching critical mass. Jonas Radtke, spoke about Space Situational Awareness (SSA), i.e. how we monitor objects in space and use AI and Deep Learning to predict and speed up reporting incidents, as well as the effects of any recent collisions. Harriet Brettle addresed the Challenge of Space Debris, and finally Valentin Eder discussed whether To Fix or not To Fix? or even whether it now may be too late. |
| This afternoon on-line seminar was the twenty-first annual prestige seminar organised by EMSTA CIC as a joint event with the Satcoms Innovation Group and various professional engineering and science Institutions. | |
| Open Forum: | An important element of the prestige seminar is the final chaired discussion when the audience could put forward their questions to the speakers. |
| Timetable: | 14:15 Registration Opens. Log on with the link you will have been sent. 14:45 Welcome: Professor Quintin McKellar CBE, University of Hertfordshire 14:50 Session Introduction: Chair: Martin Coleman 15:00 Presentations by Keynote Speakers (Subject Experts) Dr. Moriba Jah, University of Texas: Setting the Space Debris Scene. Jonas Radtke, OKAPI: Orbits - Space Situational Awareness (SSA). Harriet Brettle, Astroscale - Addressing the Challenge of Space Debris. Valentin Eder, Space Analyses - To Fix or not To Fix? 16:00 Awards and Announcements. 1615 Open Forum - Audience Q&A 17:15 Closing Remarks: Chair 17:25 Vote of Thanks: Roger Boddy, EMSTA Chair 17:30 Seminar Closes |
| Continuing Professional Development: | This event contributed two hours to your continuing professional development (CPD) as part of your institution's CPD monitoring scheme. |
