Spaceflight Management
in the NAS
Integrating Space Operations Into
The National Airspace System
IMPROVING SPACE OPERATIONS WORKSHOP
NOAA Satellite Operations Facility
Suitland, MD
Alan J. Hayes
FAA Spaceflight Management Program Manager
April 16, 2008
V. 4.1
Federal Aviation
Administration
Overview
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Introduction to the FAA
Background/Problem Statement
Current FAA Risk Mitigation Strategy
Space and Air Traffic Management System (SATMS) Concept
Space Shuttle Hazard Area to Aircraft Computation (SHAAC) Tool
SpaceTrax and the Spaceflight Integration Tool
Virtual Spaceflight Center KXAS
Current & Future Spaceflight Management Architectures
Conclusions
Questions
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
The National Airspace System
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Introduction to the FAA
The FAA is responsible for the safety of civil aviation. The Federal Aviation
Act of 1958 created the agency under the name Federal Aviation Agency.
We adopted our present name in 1967 when we became a part of the
Department of Transportation. Our major roles include:
• Regulating civil aviation to promote safety
• Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation
technology
• Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and
navigation for both civil and military aircraft
• Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil
aeronautics
• Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other
environmental effects of civil aviation
• Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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The Office of Commercial Space
Transportation (AST)
The Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) was established in
1984 as the Office of Commercial Space Transportation (OCST) in the
Office of the Secretary of Transportation within the Department of
Transportation. AST was transferred to the FAA in November 1995. The
Office of Commercial Space Transportation:
• Regulates the commercial space transportation industry, to ensure
compliance with international obligations of the United States and to
protect the public health and safety, safety of property, and national
security and foreign policy interests of the United States;
• Encourages, facilitates, and promotes commercial space launches and
reentries by the private sector;
• Recommends appropriate changes in Federal statutes, treaties,
regulations, policies, plans, and procedures; and
• Facilitates the strengthening and expansion of the United States space
transportation infrastructure.
AST issues FAA licenses for commercial launches of orbital rockets and
suborbital rockets.
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Air Traffic Organization (ATO)
System Operations Services
The primary service of the Air Traffic Organization is to move air traffic
safely and efficiently. Air Traffic Organization (ATO) System Operations
Service Unit provides overall national guidance for air traffic procedures and
airspace issues, traffic flow management for the National Airspace System
(NAS), requirements for weather observation and reporting standards, and
the focal point for interface with Department of Defense (DoD) and
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding air transportation
security issues.
Offices with Spaceflight responsibilities include:
• Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC)
• Airspace & Aeronautical Information Management (AAIM)
• Spaceflight Management Program
• Safety
• Security
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Background
The FAA expects unprecedented demands on the National
Airspace System and the nation’s Air Traffic Control system over
the next 10 years:
• Doubling of air traffic operations
• Increase in space operations
• R & D: Blue Origin, Armadillo Aerospace
• Space Tourism: Virgin Galactic, Rocketplane, etc.
• Prizes: X Prize Cup, America’s Space Prize, NASA Centennial
Challenges
• NASA: Space Shuttle, Orion
• NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services: SpaceX
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Background
The NAS was not
designed to
handle highspeed spacecraft.
(continued)
FL4000
Class E
Airspace
Different tools,
processes, and
procedures will
be necessary to
minimize the
impact of space
operations in the
NAS.
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Background – The Columbia Accident
Prior to the Columbia accident, FAA Air Traffic
procedures for supporting Space Shuttle
operations did not take into account the potential
debris hazard to aircraft during a Shuttle reentry
DFW
N
Debris
Footprint
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Problem Statement
The FAA needs to safely accommodate
spacecraft transitioning to and from
space through the National Airspace
System (NAS).
To accomplish this, space and air traffic
operations will need to be seamlessly
integrated under the current and future
FAA Air Traffic infrastructure.
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Current FAA Risk Mitigation Strategy
Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs)
– Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)
Special Use Airspace (SUA)
– Restricted Areas
– Warning Areas
Central Altitude Reservation Function (CARF)
– Altitude Reservation (ALTRV)
Command Center Advisories (CCA)
Traffic Situation Display
– Manual Entry of Lat/Long prior to and during Shuttle
Landing to create Flow Evaluation Areas (FEAs)
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Current FAA Risk Mitigation Strategy
(continued)
Impacts
• Existing Special Use Airspace (SUA) is sized for the largest vehicles that may use
them, with fixed boundaries
• Typically activated for extended periods of time
• Spaceflight Operations are handled as an exception to normal NAS operations
(i.e. no Flight Plans, ATO flight tracking is handled manually, etc.)
• Require extensive advanced coordination with various Air Traffic entities
• Can be difficult to accommodate launch/landing delays and scrubs
Goals
• Reduce the amount of airspace that is restricted for each launch/landing and the
amount of time that the restriction needs to be in effect
• Schedule the restriction so as to accommodate conventional air traffic while still
achieving the safety and space mission objectives
• Accommodate launch/landing delays, scrubs, and incidents
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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The SATMS Concept & Toolkit
The FAA has developed a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for a future
Space and Air Traffic Management System (SATMS). This concept:
• Represents a framework for seamlessly integrating space vehicles on
their way to and from space with more traditional air traffic operations
• Calls for assured separation between space and air traffic
• Will require new space and air traffic management tools and enhanced
communications, navigation, and surveillance services
The SATMS Toolkit is currently under development by the FAA. It consists
of:
• The legacy Space Shuttle Hazard Area to Aircraft Computation
(SHAAC)
• The SpaceTrax trajectory tool, and
• The Spaceflight-wide Interactive Flight Tool (SWIFT)
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Space Shuttle Hazard Area to Aircraft
Computation (SHAAC) Tool
The Space Shuttle Hazard Area to Aircraft Computation (SHAAC) tool was
developed by AST to identify hazard areas of potential debris produced by the
Space Shuttle should a breakup occur during re-entry. Designed to reduce FAA
dependence on NASA and increase FAA capabilities by replicating functionality of
the existing NASA tool.
SHAAC Capabilities
Utilizing complex algorithms and modeling techniques, SHAAC:
1. Utilizing trajectory data from NASA, to identify potentially affected airspace
in advance of a Shuttle reentry to increase air traffic control situational
awareness
2. In the event of an accident, determines the extent of the effected airspace
3. Serves as a Proof-of-Concept for SpaceTrax and the Spaceflight-wide
Interactive Flight Tool (SWIFT)
The SHAAC tool was first used at the Air Traffic Control System Command Center
(ATCSCC) in FY08 to support Shuttle Flight STS-120.
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Space Shuttle Hazard Area to Aircraft
Computation (SHAAC) Tool (continued)
Output & Display Features
Generates file of latitude/longitude
coordinates of hazard area corners in
same format as data previously provided
by NASA.
• Graphical depictions of hazard areas
plotted on maps with political and
airspace boundaries
• Latitude/longitude coordinates of
hazard areas manually entered into the
Traffic Situational Display
• PC-based (Thick Client) application
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SpaceTrax and SWIFT Tools
SpaceTrax and SWIFT are being developed by the FAA
(ATO-R) to assist air traffic controllers in managing
airspace and the risk to aircraft from space operations, by
providing improved situational awareness.
Capabilities of Both Tools:
• Track spacecraft movement within the NAS
• Create and file ICAO Flight Plans for spaceflight operations
• Should an incident occur:
• Identifies potentially affected airspace
• Identifies affected airways, sectors, and airports.
• Generate NOTAMs and Command Center Advisories
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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SpaceTrax
Utilizes Trajectory Files from NASA and Output Files from
SHAAC/Others, SpaceTrax will:
• Display the planned trajectory (Launch/Landing) as received from NASA
• Identify Entry Points (Time, Altitude, and Velocity) into Controlled Airspace,
ARTCC, and Political Boundaries for plan and actual data
• Display graphical depictions and reports of hazard areas plotted on maps with
political and airspace boundaries
• Provide a 2D and 3D display capability
• Generate Latitude/Longitude, Altitude, and Speed data for entry into an ICAO
Flight Plan
• Automatically Generate Reports currently being prepared manually
• Process real-time data and provides Latitude/Longitude information every 30
seconds (adjustable) for manual entry into the TSD
• PC-based (Thick Client) Application
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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SpaceTrax Prototype
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SWIFT
Planning Mode
• Identify the airspace restriction requirements, potential impacts to
other NAS users, and options to mitigate those impacts
• Allow decision makers to make informed risk reduction decisions
• Graphical depictions of hazard
areas plotted on maps with
political and airspace
boundaries.
• Generate Reports
• Web-Based (Thin Client)
Application
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SWIFT
(continued)
Real-time Mode
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Display the space vehicle’s trajectory and estimates of the potentially hazardous
airspace against current air traffic data
In the event of an accident, provide information to Air Traffic Controllers identifying
potential hazardous airspace due to falling debris
Input Real-Time Data from space carrier conducting
spaceflight operations following an FAA-defined
Interface Requirements Document (IRD)
Compute rectangular hazard areas that bound the
locations of potential debris and outputs their
latitude/longitude coordinates and space vehicle realtime location directly to TFM-M for display on the
Traffic Situational Display (TSD)
File ICAO Flight Plans with HCS/ERAM/ETMS
Generates TFR NOTAMs and Command Center
Advisories
Utilizes Web Services for Data Transfer
SWIM and NextGen Compliant
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SATMS Toolkit Implementation
Decommissioned
@ End of Shuttle
Program
Initial Operating
Capability (IOC)
FY2008
Space Shuttle Hazard Area
to Aircraft Computation
(SHAAC) Tool
{
Phase 1
Decommissioned
FY2012
(PCbased)
SpaceTrax Tool
Versions 1.x – 2.x
IOC FY2008
{
Phase 2
IOC FY2009
O&M
Spaceflight-wide Interactive
Flight Tool (SWIFT) Versions 1.x – 4.x
O&M*
(Serverbased)
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
FY2015+
* Period TBD
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Virtual Spaceflight “Center” - KXAS
To support SpaceTrax and the Spaceflight-wide Interactive
Flight Tool (SWIFT), a virtual Spaceflight Center is being
created that will:
• Issue all Spaceflight-related Flight Plans. All Spaceflight
Operations will have a flight plan automatically created for them
• Issue Modifications to existing Spaceflight-related Flight Plans
• Send Position Reports to ETMS/TFM-M
• Issue Spaceflight-related NOTAM messages
• Issue Command Center Advisories
• Send and Receive Service B Messages
• Provide Spaceflight-related information to FAA and Commercial
Users.
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Current Spaceflight Management Architecture
DSR
Manual
ARTCCs
Altitude
Requests
Data for
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
NOTAM
Entry (NES)
NASA
Planned
Trajectory
Files
NASA
Planned
Trajectory
Files
Automatic
ATCSCC
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
NASA
Real-Time
Trajectory
Data
NASA
Web Site
Key:
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
Latitude,
Longitude,
Altitude, &
Speed
For TSD
Adaptations
SHAAC
(Debris Field
Reports & Files)
Advisories
CARF
AISR
TSD / WSD
Display
Flight
Plans
NOTAMs
FNS
Published
NOTAM
Messages
HCS/
ERAM
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
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Flight Plans &
Aircraft Position
Reports
ETMS
TFM-M
Federal Aviation
Administration
ATCSCC
Advisory
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SATMS Phase 1 Architecture
NASA
Real-Time
Trajectory
Data
DSR
SpaceTrax
NOTAM
Report
(SpaceTrax)
(at ATCSCC)
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
Debris
Fields
ARTCCs
Data for
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
Plan & Actual
Flight Display
(SpaceTrax)
Flight Plan
Report
(SpaceTrax)
Altitude
Requests
NOTAM
Entry (NES)
NASA
Planned
Trajectory
Files
NASA
Planned
Trajectory
Files
Virtual “Spaceflight” Center KXAS
ATCSCC
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
SHAAC
Spacecraft
Location Report
(SpaceTrax)
Flight Plan
Messages
(Debris Field
Reports & Files)
For TSD
Adaptations
Advisories
CARF
AISR
TSD / WSD
Display
Flight
Plans
NOTAMs
FNS
Published
NOTAM
Messages
HCS/
ERAM
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
The National Airspace System
Flight Plans &
Aircraft Position
Reports
ETMS
TFM-M
Federal Aviation
Administration
ATCSCC
Advisory
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SATMS Phase 2/3 Architecture
DSR
Plan & Actual
Flight Display
(SpaceTrax)
ATCSCC
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
Real-Time
Trajectory
Data
SpaceTrax
& SWIFT
(at ATCSCC)
ARTCCs
Command Center
Advisories
(CCA), Flight
Movement
Messages, and
TSD Adaptations
(Phase 3)
Altitude
Requests
(Phase 3)
Flight Plan
Messages
(Phase 3)
NOTAM
Entry (NES)
Planned
Trajectory
Files
Virtual “Spaceflight” Center KXAS
Draft
NOTAM
Messages
CARF
AISR
TSD / WSD
Display
Flight
Plans
NOTAMs
FNS
Published
NOTAM
Messages
HCS/
ERAM
Spaceflight Management in the NAS - Integrating Space Operations Into
The National Airspace System
Flight Plans &
Aircraft Position
Reports
ETMS
TFM-M
Federal Aviation
Administration
ATCSCC
Advisory
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FY08 – FY12 Implementation
SATMS Toolkit will be implemented over the next 3-5 years:
• Year 1 (FY2008)
• SpaceTrax 1.0
• SWIFT Proof-of-Concept
• Year 2 (FY2009)
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SWIFT 1.0
SpaceTrax 2.0
Real-Time Data Interface 1.0
TFM-M Interface Prototype
• Year 3 (FY2010)
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SWIFT 2.0
SpaceTrax 3.0
Real-Time Data Interface 2.0
TFM-M Interface 1.0
• Year 4+ (FY2011 and later)
• Satellite Orbit/Re-entry Tracking
• Continuing updates to the Toolkit
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Conclusions
• Space operations will continue to increase,
as will the challenges of accommodating
operations safely in the NAS.
• Experience gained in support of Shuttle
reentries has helped to identify and refine
SpaceTrax and SWIFT requirements and
implementation strategies.
• The toolset and associated Air Traffic
procedures will enhance situational
awareness for Controllers and help them
identify airspace restrictions, while providing
mitigation options for potential impacts.
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For More Information
Please Contact:
Alan Hayes, FAA Program Manager
Telephone: (202) 493-1406
Email: Alan.Hayes@faa.gov
Thank You!
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