GMV hosts the 5th IAA International Conference on Space Situational Awareness to address the sustainability and safety of the space environment

From April 7 to 9, GMV hosted the 5th edition of the International Academy of Astronautics Conference on Space Situational Awareness (ICSSA) at its facilities in Tres Cantos (Madrid). The event is one of the leading international forums dedicated to the study, analysis, and governance of the space environment, with the goal of ensuring its long-term safety and sustainability.

Organized by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida, with the support of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the conference gathered around 150 experts from across the globe. Participants included representatives from space agencies, space commands, satellite operators, data and space surveillance service providers, industry, research institutions, and academia, all addressing current and future challenges in Space Situational Awareness (SSA).

The event was built around a clear premise: the sustainable use of space depends on our ability to understand, monitor, and predict the behavior of objects in orbit. In this context, space monitoring and surveillance emerge as a critical domain that combines advanced technologies, data analytics, and regulatory frameworks to ensure safe operations in an increasingly congested environment.

Throughout the sessions, key technological and regulatory dimensions of SSA were addressed from a cross-cutting perspective. From the analysis and mitigation of orbital debris—highlighted in NASA’s opening keynote—to operational challenges in an ecosystem with multiple data and service providers and a vast number of satellite operators, the agenda reflected the growing complexity and sophistication of the space domain.

Technical sessions explored topics such as the application of artificial intelligence to object tracking in orbit, the development of advanced space surveillance systems, collision risk assessment, and emerging technologies for debris removal. New approaches to prediction and tracking were also discussed, including the use of distributed sensor networks and optimized planning strategies.

The program also incorporated a strategic dimension, with sessions focused on governance, public policy, and international coordination. Discussions covered proposals such as new regulatory models, insurance mechanisms linked to in-orbit behavior, and frameworks for global cooperation and coordination in space traffic management.

From Earth orbit to the cislunar domain

One of the distinguishing features of this edition, which coincided with NASA’s Artemis II mission flight, was the expanded focus on the cislunar environment, reflecting growing interest in operations beyond Earth orbit. Sessions in this area addressed topics ranging from tracking strategies to autonomous navigation models and collision avoidance maneuvers.

The conference also highlighted the need to integrate observation, analysis, and decision-making capabilities into increasingly distributed architectures, in a context marked by the proliferation of large satellite constellations and the exponential growth in space objects.

Plenary sessions underscored the global nature of the challenge. Representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA), the U.S. Office of Space Commerce (responsible for the TraCSS system), the Spanish Space Agency (representing the EU SST system), and the Space Data Association all emphasized international coordination and space traffic management as key elements to ensure the long-term sustainability of the orbital environment.

Hosting the 5th IAA International Conference on Space Situational Awareness (ICSSA) at GMV’s headquarters reinforces the company’s position as a key player in the space surveillance domain, as well as its commitment to research and the development of solutions that support the safe and sustainable use of space.

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