Key Concepts
This section introduces the core principles that underpin spaceflight safety practices in Satcat. It is intended for mission operators, analysts, and learners seeking to understand the standard methods used in conjunction assessment, collision avoidance, and coordination workflows.
References & Handbooks
Satcat workflows are informed by widely accepted guidelines and best practices from U.S. government agencies and international coalitions. Operators are strongly encouraged to review the following resources, which define many of the terms and methodologies used across this documentation set:
- 18/19 SDS Spaceflight Safety Handbook v1.7 [PDF]
- NASA Spacecraft CA/COLA Best Practices Handbook Rev.1 [PDF]
- SSC Best Practices for Space Operations Sustainability v2.34 [PDF]
These references guide much of the terminology, event logic, and coordination roles described throughout Satcat's technical workflows.
Spaceflight Safety Concepts
Conjunction Assessment
Identifies predicted close approaches between Resident Space Objects (RSOs), including active payloads, debris, and launch vehicles. Uses trajectory catalogs and probabilistic risk metrics to screen for potential collisions.
Collision Avoidance
Follows identification of a high-risk conjunction. Operators evaluate options, upload maneuver plans, and decide whether to initiate avoidance actions. Risk reduction depends on high-accuracy ephemeris and reliable maneuver coordination.
Space Traffic Coordination
Provides the structured communication and behavioral norms for operators navigating shared orbital domains. Satcat supports asynchronous coordination through operator status tagging, maneuver responsibility assignment, and intent signaling.
The Space Safety Coalition
The Space Safety Coalition (SSC) is a multi-stakeholder group promoting the long-term sustainability of orbital operations through the adoption of shared best practices.
Kayhan Space has endorsed the SSC's guidelines and incorporates its Rules of the Road into Satcat's maneuver responsibility and mitigation intent logic.
Kayhan Standards
Satcat implements operational conventions based on the referenced documents above, as well as additional internal standards for file formats, frame definitions, and operator-provided data.