Space Data Association recognised at World Space Risk Forum 2012, Dubai

The Space Data Association (SDA) has been awarded the Space Risk Management Award by the organisers of the World Space Risk Forum 2012 for its outstanding cooperative efforts to reduce the risk of satellite operations.
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Pictured: Jeff Cassidy, chairman of World Space Risk Forum 2012, presents Stewart Sanders, chairman of the Space Data Association, with the Exceptional Achievement Award.
 
The SDA is a non-profit international association of satellite operators that supports the controlled, reliable and efficient sharing of data critical to the safety and integrity of the space environment and the RF spectrum.
 
Its Space Data Centre became operational in September 2011 and began providing reliable and efficient data sharing, critical to the safety and integrity of its members’ satellites.
 
These provide for:
  • Enhanced Radio Frequency Interference mitigation
  • Avoidance manoeuvre planning, and
  • On-demand conjunction analysis
Jeff Cassidy, chairman of the World Space Risk Forum said: “The World Space Risk Forum 2012 is delighted to recognise the joint efforts of Inmarsat, Intelsat, SES and the other members of the SDA for the significant progress they have made in this field.
 
“Their cooperative efforts have made a real contribution to reducing the risk of operating in the space environment and improving on-orbit reliability.”
 
On collecting the award Stewart Sanders, chairman of the Space Data Association (SDA), said: “We formed the SDA as we saw there was a critical need for improvements in the collaboration between space operators in order to ensure the preservation of the physical environment we operate in, as well as to reduce the impact of service-affecting RF interference.
 
“It is very pleasing to recognised by our peers for the significant progress we have made in both these areas.”
 
The World Space Risk Forum is the main space risk forum in the world for an industry that is worth an estimated $170bn per year globally - and whilst the global space industry is expected to grow by 4.5% annually over the next 10 years, the Middle-East region, Asia and Africa is expected to grow by more than 10% a year. The region is investing heavily in high technology to become a significant player in the years to come.