PROBABILITY OF COLLISION IN THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT* Raymond A. LeClair and Ramaswamy Sridharan MIT Lincoln Laboratory, 244 Wood Street, Lexington, Massachusetts 02420 USA, Email:
[email protected] ABSTRACT/RESUME The initial Geosynchronous Encounter Analysis (GEA) CRDA spanned two years beginning in mid 1997. The advent of geostationary satellite communication During this period, Lincoln Laboratory provided timely 37 years ago, and the resulting continued launch activ- warning of encounters between Telstar 401 and partner ity, has created a population of active and inactive geo- satellites and precision orbits for these objects for use synchronous satellites which will interact, with genu- in avoidance maneuver planning [1]. In all, 32 en- ine possibility of collision, for the foreseeable future. counters between Telstar 401 and a partner satellite As a result of the failure of Telstar 401 three years ago, were supported in 24 months leading to nine avoidance MIT Lincoln Laboratory, in cooperation with commer- maneuvers incorporated into routine station keeping cial partners, began an investigation into this situation. and six dedicated avoidance maneuvers. This process Under the agreement, Lincoln worked to ensure a col- has led to a validated concept of operations for en- lision did not occur between Telstar 401 and partner counter support at Lincoln. satellites and to understand the scope and nature of the Active problem. The results of this cooperative activity and Satellites recent results to carefully characterize the actual prob- SOLIDARIDAD 02 ANIK E1 04-Oct-1999 ability of collision in the geostationary orbit are de- 114 SOLIDARIDAD 1 GOES 07 scribed. ANIK E2 112 MSAT M01 ) ANIK C1 110 GSTAR 04 deg USA 0114 1.