SpaceOps - What's New

What's New

Welcome to SpaceOps....your destination for a world of information about Space Operations

The International Committee on Technical Interchange for Space Mission Operations and Ground Data Systems (SpaceOps Organization) was formed out of the realization that the number of people involved in space mission operations is large and an organized community or technical forum was needed. Mission operations have become an increasingly large segment of space agencies budgets. As a result, there is great interest in improving the capabilities and cost efficiencies of mission operations. It was in the spirit of providing the broadest possible managerial and technical interchange between space agencies, academia, and industry that SpaceOps was established.

Since its inception in 1990, SpaceOps has held eight highly successful biennial conference hosted by various countries around the world. This international forum will discuss state-of-the-art operations principles, methods, and tools and provide an excellent opportunity to foster managerial and technical interchange on all aspects of space mission operations, including such areas as robotics, human, earth orbiting, and deep space aspects of space operations.

The SpaceOps Organization is here to serve you, the members of the space operations community. Please let us know how we can improve this site so we can help you better in your everyday job duties. Email the SpaceOps Secretariat at info@spaceops.org with your ideas.

2010 SpaceOps Award Winners

The SpaceOps Organization is pleased to announce that the following awards were presented during the SpaceOps 2010 Conference Gala on 29 April 2010 in Huntsville, Alabama.

The Mars Exploration Rover Operations Team received the 2010 International SpaceOps Award for Outstanding Achievement for its remarkable success in meeting the unique and varied challenges of operating two rovers on Mars for several years past their design life and establishing a model for future in situ operations. The International SpaceOps Award for Outstanding Achievement recognizes outstanding efforts in overcoming space operations and/or support challenges, and recognizes those teams whose exceptional contributions were critical to the success of one or more space missions. This award was accepted by Mars Exploration Rover Operations Project Manager John Callas.
Paolo Maldari received the 2010 International SpaceOps Distinguished Service Medal honoring his dedication to the SpaceOps Organization since its early days and as one of the “fathers” of international space agency cross-support, and for his involvement with the planning committees for the SpaceOps 2008 Conference and the Reducing the Cost of Spacecraft Ground Systems and Operations Symposium. The International SpaceOps Distinguished Service Medal recognizes an individual who has distinguished himself or herself with service to the SpaceOps Organization and who has shown exceptional dedication to the interests of the organization by making significant contributions over an extended period of time.
Eugene Kranz received the 2010 International SpaceOps Exceptional Achievement Medal, honoring his pioneering the concepts and procedures that laid the foundation for human spaceflight operations, many of which are still in use today, and for his inspirational leadership that raised the awareness of the importance of spaceflight operations throughout the world. The International SpaceOps Exceptional Achievement Medal recognizes an individual who has distinguished himself or herself in the field of space operations and support and whose exceptional contributions were critical to the success of one or more space missions or who has made significant contributions to the field of space operations.

For more information about the SpaceOps Organization awards, click here

Summary of SpaceOps 2010

The biennial SpaceOps conference, which brought together space operators from around the world to discuss the current status of and future direction of space operations, concluded successfully on 30 April 2010 at the von Braun Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

This event was hosted by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The conference was sponsored by Lockheed Martin Corporation, United Space Alliance, Boeing, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Jacobs Technology, COLSA Corporation, VEGA, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc., IBM, ASTRA TechCom Services, General Dynamics C4 Systems, and CSC.

In addition, LG and Southern Digital Products, Inc. were conference supporters. Twenty-eight organizations participated in the exhibition organized in conjunction with the conference. This conference set attendance records, as over 800 delegates participated in the conference and its social activities.

During the five-day event, a total 306 technical papers were presented in 96 sessions. In addition, there were 48 traditional posters and 25 electronic posters, a new, innovative feature for this conference. Also, the event included a special NASA-hosted exhibit on 21st Century Technologies for Control Centers and Communications.

Conference topics included: Mission Design and Mission Management; Mission Execution: Plan, Train, and Fly; Data and Communications Systems and Facilities; Cross Support, Interoperability, Standards; Launch Operations; and Commercial Space Operations. The Launch Operations and Commercial Space Operations topics were new to the conference this year and sessions covering these topics were heavily attended. Plenary session topics were: Space Navigation – Recent Advancements & Emerging Trends; International Space Station at Assembly Complete; and Space Operations Contribution to Climate Change Monitoring.

The opening session of the conference featured a welcome from International Space Station flight crew via video and real time status updates from control centers around the world via videoconference. Gene Kranz, retired NASA Flight Control Director, was the keynote speaker during the conference Gala dinner. The closing ceremony featured a keynote address by Will Whitehorn, President, Virgin Galactic and closing comments from Chris Singer, Deputy Director of Engineering, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

A book titled “Space Operations: Exploration, Scientific Utilization & Technology Development” will be published by AIAA on behalf of the SpaceOps Organization in 2011. The book will contain selected and expanded papers from this conference.

For more information about the event, click here