A Tool for Integrating Commercial Space Operations into the National Airspace System

Potential growth in the commercial space transportation industry, coupled with an expected doubling of air traffic operations over the next 10 years, could place additional safety and capacity demands on the National Airspace System (NAS). The Space and Air Traffic Management System (SATMS) is a proposed framework of operations designed to accommodate future commercial space operations within the NAS and to provide for the additional safety considerations associated with space vehicles operating in close proximity to air traffic. This paper discusses how the FAA plans to implement this strategy by developing a new decision support tool (DST) that will help air traffic controllers to manage a diverse mix of aircraft and space vehicles operating in shared airspace. I.