Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2015
DOI
10.1007/s13753-015-0073-2
Publication Title
International Journal of Disaster Risk Science
Volume
6
Issue
4
Pages
359-371
Abstract
Orbital debris from over 50 years of human activity in space are threatening the operations of existing and future satellites and the sustainability of high-value satellite orbits. This technical memorandum calls for the development of a cadastre that depicts the vulnerability of critical satellite orbits to accumulating orbital debris. A space infrastructure vulnerability cadastre could serve as a governance tool for use by developers and operators of critical space infrastructures to better communicate the current and future vulnerability of high-value orbits to the accumulation of orbital debris. These high-value orbits are susceptible to "loss" for decades or centuries if generation of orbital debris continues unabated. The concept of environmental critical loads is applied to heavily used orbits as a way to indicate acceptable debris density for satellite operations, and when debris density / risk thresholds approach unacceptable levels that reduce the probability of sustaining spacecraft operations in those orbits.
ORCID
0000-0003-2830-675X (Gheorghe)
Original Publication Citation
Gheorghe, A. V., & Yuchnovicz, D. E. (2015). The space infrastructure vulnerability cadastre: Orbital debris critical loads. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 6(4), 359-371. doi: 10.1007/s13753-015-0073-2
Repository Citation
Gheorghe, Adrian V. and Yuchnovicz, Daniel E., "The Space Infrastructure Vulnerability Cadastre: Orbital Debris Critical Loads" (2015). Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications. 4.
https://digitalcommons.odu.edu/emse_fac_pubs/4