Dr. Darren McKnight, Chief Scientist for Agilex Technologies, discussed both technical and operational issues related to the increasing hazard being posed to satellites in orbit from the remnants of space exploration. He provided specific, yet often counter intuitive facts, on how orbital debris will likely evolve over time. While hundreds of satellites have exploded in space over the 50 years of space activity, recent events are accelerating the concern that this cosmic environmental issue is quickly becoming one that will affect everybody in the world. Certain regions of space that are most valuable because of the types of missions that can be flown there are the ones most contaminated due to this popularity. Approaches to modeling, minimizing, and operating through the hazard posed by space debris are investigated.
The management of the risk presented by orbital debris is one that can only be handled through international and multi-disciplinary teams. This comprehensive treatise on the complicated problem orbital debris will frame the critical issues that you, as an IT leader, will have to increasingly deal with in some capacity over the coming years.