Rules of the Road
Satcat Operations implements industry-aligned coordination practices based on the Space Safety Coalition's Best Practices Handbook. These rules support standardized maneuver responsibility assignment and enable operators to exchange mitigation intent through structured, asynchronous coordination.
Operators signal intent by uploading context-tagged ephemeris and can override automated assignments where necessary.
1. Maneuver Responsibility
Satcat first assigns maneuver responsibility based on the maneuverability profile of each asset involved in a conjunction. This assignment is used to guide coordination outcomes between operators.
| Responsibility Tag | Coordination Implication |
|---|---|
| Non-Maneuverable | Expected to stand down |
| Minimally-Maneuverable | May defer unless tagged as responsible |
| Manually-Maneuverable | Expected to coordinate and act if assigned |
| Auto-COLA Maneuvering | Executes COLA autonomously |
| Crewed | Requires coordination |
| Unknown Maneuverability | Requires coordination |
Responsibility tags are advisory. Operators unable to maneuver as assigned should coordinate directly via Satcat messaging or external channels.
2. Mitigation Intent
Mitigation Intent represents an operator's declared intent to perform or defer a collision avoidance maneuver. It is linked to operational ephemeris and visible in each conjunction event.
| Intent Type | Context Field | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Will Mitigate | COLA, MAINTENANCE | Operator intends to maneuver |
| Will Not Mitigate | ROUTINE, NOVEL | Operator will not maneuver at this time |
| Undetermined | NULL | Operator has not decided yet |
Intent is automatically matched when uploading operational ephemeris by utilizing context tags.
3. Managing Updates & Overrides
- Auto-Matching: Default behavior—ephemeris uploads update intent automatically based on the context field.
- Manual Override: Operators can disable Auto-Matching per-event and set intent manually.
- Conflict Management: If intent metadata and ephemeris context are inconsistent, Satcat prioritizes ephemeris context to avoid coordination errors.
Conflicting intent signals (e.g., COLA-tagged ephemeris but "No Intent to Mitigate" status) may result in uncoordinated maneuver execution. Keep intent and metadata aligned.
4. Auto-Generated Maneuvers and Responsibility
Organizations with Pro or Enterprise subscriptions can use auto-generated COLA maneuvers to fulfill assigned mitigation responsibilities. Satcat displays the generation status directly within each conjunction event:
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| None generated | No maneuver has been started or is required based on current data. |
| Generating... | COLA maneuver generation is in progress and results will be available soon. |
| Ready | A complete maneuver plan is available for review and execution. |
| N/A (Pro) | The organization is not subscribed at a tier that supports COLA planning. |
Maneuver generation does not enforce action but supports assigned responsibilities by providing ready-to-use solutions.
Operators should always confirm that generated maneuvers meet mission constraints before execution. Review results in Maneuver Designer.
Coordination Summary
- Maneuver assignments are advisory, not enforced.
- Operators can express intent directly through ephemeris uploads or manual settings.
- Coordination is asynchronous but traceable through Satcat platform logging.
For technical guidance on submitting context-tagged ephemeris, see Operational Data.