Insights and News
Latest News
New U.S. Commitment on Destructive Direct-Ascent Anti-Satellite Missile Testing
The SDA is dedicated to space flight safety and the preservation of the space environment. Accordingly, SDA welcomes the commitment by the United States not to conduct destructive, direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing and notes this sets a positive...
Intelsat’s Joe Chan announced as SDA Executive Director
Ballasalla, Isle of Man, 18th November 2021 – The Space Data Association (SDA) has announced IntelSat’s Joe Chan as Executive Director. Joe is Director of Flight Dynamics (FDS) at Intelsat, and is succeeding Jean-Luc Froeliger representing Intelsat within the SDA. The...
SDA Comment on ASAT event
On 15th November, a non-functional Russian satellite was destroyed by a direct-ascent anti-satellite mission. This has resulted in the generation of over fifteen hundred trackable objects so far, which will very significantly increase the risk of future collisions and...
ABS joins the Space Data Association
Ballasalla, Isle of Man, 9th November 2021 - ABS is the latest global satellite operator to join the Space Data Association (SDA), an international non-profit association of satellite operators. Formed in 2009, the SDA ensures a controlled, reliable and efficient...
Space Data Association Launches T.S. Kelso Award for Space Safety
Ballasalla, Isle of Man, 16th September 2021- The Space Data Association(SDA) has announced the launch of the T.S. Kelso Award for Space Safety. Recognizing outstanding contributions to space flight safety, the award is named for and on behalf of its inaugural...
HawkEye 360 joins the Space Data Association
Ballasalla, Isle of Man, 19th August 2021 – HawkEye 360 is the latest company to join the Space Data Association (SDA), an international non-profit association of satellite operators. Formed in 2009, the SDA works to support the efficient and reliable sharing of...
Blogs
2022: Year in Review
By Joe Chan, Chairman, The Space Data Association Towards the end of this year, I was named Chairman of the Space Data Association, taking Intelsat’s turn to hold the reins. I am really just getting started but have some big shoes to fill from the outgoing Chairman,...
Space Debris: Tackling the Problem
Space debris falling back to Earth has hit the headlines several times in the last month, which is not surprising given the sheer scale of the orbital debris problem. According to the ESA, there are currently 36,500 space debris objects being tracked that are greater...
Q&A with T.S. Kelso: part 2
Following on from our hugely popular interview with T.S. Kelso, part 2 covers his thoughts on space sustainability, LEO’s impact on space safety and his plans beyond retirement. Is there enough cooperation amongst countries to manage the sustainability of space? To...
Q&A with T.S. Kelso: part 1
To mark the illustrious career of SDA and industry legend, T.S. Kelso, our latest blog post looks at what inspired his career, his route to becoming an expert in his field, as well as his opinions on the most significant developments and challenges in-orbit.Make sure...
Space Domain Awareness
We must act now to safeguard future space useThe space industry has been expanding at a remarkable rate in recent years, with a steady increase in both commercial and non-commercial activity. Most notable is the growth seen in the low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite...
An Introduction to the Space Data Association
Founded in 2009 by experienced satellite operators, the Space Data Association (SDA) is at the forefront of modern satellite manoeuvres and safety. The SDA’s objective is to improve space situational awareness, allowing operators to monitor and avoid potentially...
