Abstract

How GIS is used in prediction of re-entry of space-junk
Track: Defense and Intelligence
Authors: Debbie Dennison

Case Study: Russian Satellite Phobos-Grunt Re-Entry
Recently the Russian satellite Phobos-Grunt tumbled out-of-control back to Earth. During the re-entry event many people worked quickly to determine where the craft would impact our planet.
Finding the re-entry trajectory of an uncontrolled satellite is a challenging problem. Tracking data may be limited, atmospheric phenomena including solar and geomagnetic activity must be taken into account, and the satellite's construction - and its destruction - are complex and typically poorly understood.
Come learn how this team used a blend of mathematics, physics, computations and geospatial modeling to solve these problems - and find out: Were YOU (nearly) in the way?
The team will also show an array of visualizations.