COSMO-SkyMed collision risk assessment with cataloged debris

This report presents the various aspects related to orbital debris conjunction assessment and collision avoidance planning for the spacecraft of the COSMO-SkyMed constellation. After having introduced the orbital debris environment, the US space catalog was analyzed in terms of availability, completeness, update frequency and accuracy. The collision risk with cataloged debris for the COSMO-SkyMed constellation was therefore assessed. The implications of adopting conjunction assessment and avoidance maneuvers for the COSMO-SkyMed constellation were then examined in terms of rationale, alert and maneuver frequency, ground sensors and flight dynamics software requirements, maneuver strategies and ?V. The investment and operational cost of an effective conjunction assessment and collision avoidance system should be weighted against the relative importance of the evaluated probability of collision with cataloged debris, estimated in less than 2% during 10 years of operations of the full constellation.