Constellations spoke with Dr. Rachit Bhatia, Space Safety Analytics and Research Lead at LeoLabs, a company that, among other space-related initiatives, specializes in surveillance of low Earth orbit using ground-based radar. Bhatia briefed Constellations on space situational awareness (SSA), a growing issue specifically in low Earth orbit and the role of radar technology in tracking objects in LEO.
Before discussing tracking technology, Bhatia described why such tracking is critical “…with the growth in population in resident space objects, as we call it in technical terms, the growth in population in all these satellites and debris, specifically, that we have seen in low Earth orbit, it becomes imperative to have regular tracking.”
Why Radar?
Bhatia went on to explain that he believes “…radars are best suited for low Earth orbit monitoring, because they have a large field of view, and we can track these dynamic objects moving at very fast speeds relative to each other, and get all of these observations very quickly, because when these objects are passing over radar, we are just getting measurements and we are operating these radars 24/7. No interference because of weather, no problem, whether it is day or night, and these operate …in such remote places and autonomously.”
50 Most Risky Objects in LEO
Expanding further on space debris, Bhatia said that the major risk coming for low Earth orbit objects is from the debris and derelict objects, because these objects just can’t maneuver. He explained that 78% of the 50 most risky objects in LEO are from the Cold War era.
“These are rocket bodies that were left at that time, thinking that they would not be imposing any harm, but they are up there, and they are tumbling rocket bodies we cannot maneuver. If you are in the neighborhood,” he concluded, “you have to save yourself.”
AI and Real Intelligence
Bhatia expanded on the importance of artificial intelligence when it comes to LEO monitoring. It is used for object characterization, improving existing algorithms and fusing data from LeoLabs radar sites to create near real-time insights and alerts. “We are also using real intelligence, in terms of the decades of knowledge that our experts bring to the table … to interpret the data so that we can understand the pattern that we are observing and use it to frame a story and use it to have a robust policy and mitigative guidelines,” he said.
Transparency Among SSA Providers
The conversation shifted into a more opaque area, that of transparency, specifically, how commercial SSA providers enable transparency among each other. Bhatia explained that LeoLabs works with national agencies and shares insights to them about relevant events at regular intervals. LeoLabs also makes sure that the policymakers and regulators are informed by building dedicated tools for them. He explained further that with the rapid growth of commercial space, there’s a faint boundary between military space and commercial space, increasing the need for situational awareness. “Having a comprehensive space behavior awareness,” he continued, “helps in making sure that everyone is aware of where they are, and everyone is under surveillance so that the behavior can be noted, there are no surprises.”
He concluded the conversation by saying transparency “comes back to making sure that the military, the defense and commercial systems stay segmented, and that is the best way to maintain safety for everyone, and also making sure that the commercial viability of the environment is maintained, and the effective use [of space] can still happen.”
To hear more about space debris and SSA, bad neighborhoods and just-in-time collision monitoring in space click here.
