Minoo Rathnasabapathy will be speaking on a panel and serving as a moderator at two events during the International Space University 2022 Adelaide Conference on Space Junk. Following the successful ISU Adelaide Conference in February 2021, ISU again brings together the space community in February 2022: international experts, industry, entrepreneurs and investors, the public, and government representatives to discuss the most important space topic of our time: Space Debris.
Moriba Jah will be giving the Day 2 Opening Keynote address and holding a discussion with Faumina Tafuna'i, a Samoan/Maori wayfinder and celestial navigator.
The conference discussions and activities will focus on the latest developments in space debris, aka space junk. The conference will gather contributors who will take a varied view on the subject from governance, law, economics, technology, and the humanities. We will explore issues such as light pollution and the overcrowding of the skies.
See below for the details of Dr. Rathnasabapathy's and Prof. Jah's sessions:
February 5th, 12:00-12:40pm ACST
Dr Moriba Jah is an accomplished space scientist and TED fellow with contributions to fields of orbit determination and prediction. He is currently an associate Professor at the University of Austin Texas and is committed to creating a global, accessible and transparent space traffic management system. Following his keynote speech about space situational awareness and space traffic monitoring, he will be in discussion with Faumuina Tafuna’i who is a Samoan / Maori wayfinder and celestial navigator.
February 5th, 12:40 - 13:20pm ACST (Panelist)
"The Bottom Line of Space and Business: Environmental and Sustainability Goals"
The space sector’s contemporary rebirth as “New Space” has opened the doors to commercial players in an unprecedented way. This session will explore the question: as all kinds of industries are being scrutinized for their environmental and sustainability practices, are space companies living up to these expectations and preparing their business models to be responsible space actors?
February 5th, 15:30 - 16:20pm ACST (Moderator)
"SSA and STM: Defining the Challenge"
Space Situational Awareness is about knowing what is up there and how it is going to behave. There are various techniques for tracking objects in space and it is necessary for national and commercial space actors to have access to accurate information regarding the space environment. Without this technology and interorganizational agreements shedding light on the quantity, quality and trajectories of space debris, operations would be far riskier. This session explores the question: are we prepared for the ever-increasing space traffic in orbit?