A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
Issue link: http://natca.uberflip.com/i/639552
Deputy Administrator Whitaker talked about some of our efforts at the FAA ' s annual Commercial Space Transportation conference. I ' d like to share some of these efforts with you. Commercial space includes activities like launching satellites, delivering cargo to the International Space Station, and in the future, space tourism. The industry continues to grow. In 2012, there were three license d commercial spa ce operations. Since then, there have been 50 additional operations, with as many as 50 more expected this year. Within several years, we could see an average of one launch daily in the U.S. alone. Currently, we accommodate space operations by blocking off , or " sterilizing ," a large amount of airspace. This approach works today because there are so few operations and most take place from only a couple of coastal locations. But as commercial space operations increase, this could potentially create lengthy de lays o r reroutes for other aircraft. We ' re going to have to move from accommodation to integration, meaning that we take into account the needs of all airspace users - just as we are doing with unmanned aircraft. The FAA is prototyping a tool called th e Sp ace Data Integrator (SDI). In the next couple of months, we ' re going to conduct a real - time operational demonstration when Space X ' s Dragon spacecraft com es in for its reentry mission. Through SDI, we ' ll be able to automate the operational procedures that air traffic controllers currently perform for space operations. We ' ll be able to determine the right amount of airspace to block off for these operations and more efficiently release the blocked airspace so it ' s avail able for other airspace users. We ' ll al so be a ble to adapt to contingencies. For instance, if we know that a reentry is coming in off course, we can block off new airspace and release the old airspace. We ' re working hard to coordinate our commercial space efforts within the agency and get input and engagement from industry. This includes the commercial space industry days we host at the Command Center, sponsored in partnership with the FAA 's Commercial Space office. We ' re also drawing up a Commercial Space Integration Roadmap that will define ch anges in policy, regulation, procedures and automation capabilities, and determine the schedule by which these changes will be made. As these operations ramp up, we see a need to involve the commercial space industry into our Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) process. Through CDM, we exchange information in real - time with airspace users, and communicate with them several times a day as we man age the flow of daily traffic. In doing so, we ' re able to take their interests into account and be m ore responsive to their needs. It ' s still early for commercial space, but this is on our radar. These efforts are helping us plan and prepare for the eventual safe integration of commercial space ope rations. I look forward to seeing this work develop. Thanks everyone, T eri L. Bristol ATO Chief Operating Officer MEMBERSHIP AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT STORE ITEM OF THE WEEK: Luggage Tag Luggage tags are one of the most important travel accessories you can own. Whether you are taking a vacation by air or a short weekend trip by train, luggage tags can help make identifying your luggage a quick and easy process. Try our rigid, plastic, heav y - duty luggage tag holder with 6 - inch clear loop. Measures: 4 and 3/4 inches by 2