Commercial Space Vehicle Tracking Using 1090 MHz ADS-B

The number of commercial space vehicles including launch and reentry vehicles, and high-altitude balloons is growing, and new technology is needed to minimize their impact on the National Airspace System (NAS). Currently the FAA issues Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) to reserve large airspace sections for long periods of time for launches and reentries. Automatic Direct Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) can be used to provide seamless integration of space and vehicles and aircraft to allow for more efficient airspace use as the number of commercial space vehicles operations increase. This proposed effort will study what techniques and equipment are needed to allow for commercial space vehicles to be tracked using 1090MHz ADS-B Out messages for international operations, and to enable aircraft with only 1090MHz equipment to directly receive signals from space vehicles. In addition, we will study how to continuously and seamlessly track 1090MHz ADS-B Out equipped space vehicles when they are beyond the range of the FAA ground receiver network using small satellite constellations. This proposed effort will study and demonstrate how to safely and efficiently integrate new types of operations including commercial space vehicles and drones (UAVs/UASs) into the National Airspace System.