An International Astronautical Congress (IAC) Plenary Event is going to offer a panel of experts who will highlight the possible effects of large constellation deployments.

During this 67th IAC, this presentation is going to focus on the current and future orbital debris environment, on the possible risks imposed on other space missions during the operation and disposal of such constellations as well as on legal aspects of large constellation deployments in the light of existing space debris mitigation guidelines and applicable legal frameworks. Dedicated to the Projection and Stability of the Orbital Debris Environment in the Light of Planned Mega-Constellation Deployments, this discussion will occur on Thursday September, 29, 2016, from 13:30 to 14:30 hours during IAC 2016.

Why this focus now? In early 2015, media reported plans by two companies, OneWeb Ltd. (UK) and SpaceX (USA), for the deployment of large LEO satellite constellations. The OneWeb constellation is planned to consist of 720 Satellites, to be operating at 1,200 km altitude in 18 different orbit planes, to provide global high-speed communication. The SpaceX constellation is planned to consist of 4,000 satellites, to be operating at 1,100 km altitude, to provide global, high-speed internet communication. Both constellations will be deployed in high-inclination orbits.
 
The plenary will be moderated by Professor Heiner Klinkrad, former Head of ESA Space Debris Office and currently an Honorary Professor at the Institute of Space Systems of the Technical University of Braunschweig. The panelists will include Dr. J.-C. Liou, NASA Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris; Dr. Holger Krag, Head of ESA Space Debris Office; Mr. Michael Lindsay, OneWeb Mission System Engineering and Analysis Lead; and Professor Stephan Hobe, Head of Institute of Air- and Space-Law at the University of Cologne.

Additional information regarding this event is available at www.iac2016.org/