FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Authors will discuss on 19 May, ASCEND 2026, Washington, DC
May 18, 2026 – Reston, Va. – The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), along with Amazon Leo, Eutelsat, Iridium Communications, Inc., and SpaceX, today announced the release of the third edition of its best practices reference guide, “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0.”
The 3.0 version is updated since its original publication in 2022, providing additional lessons learned and adding clarity and rationale for the recommendations. Extending the work of others, including NASA, the 18th Space Control Squadron, Secure World Foundation, and the Space Safety Coalition, the 3.0 version provides a consolidated, high-level set of recommended best practices that span design, launch, orbital operations, and disposal.
Key Features of “Satellite Orbital Safety Best Practices 3.0”
- Emphasizes the design phase for improved orbital safety
- Stresses pre-launch coordination and collision avoidance analysis, especially near crewed vehicles, mitigating hazards during post-launch identification and cataloging of new orbital objects
- Provides guidance on data sharing across design and operations emphasizing the critical importance of sharing and screening high quality ephemeris with covariance from deployment through disposal
- Includes an Appendix with data exchange recommendations to mitigate conjunctions
AIAA is providing access to download the reference guide today, in advance of ASCEND 2026, to address the urgency of space traffic coordination. Industry professionals can talk directly with the authors of the document – low Earth orbit industry experts from major satellite constellation operators – to discuss its implementation during ASCEND 2026:
Panel Discussion: Orbital Safety Best Practices for Satellite Operators
ASCEND 2026, Washington Hilton, Washington, DC
Tuesday, 19 May, 3:30 p.m. ET
- Sandra Magnus, Principal, AstroPlanetview, LLC (Moderator)
- Josef Koller, Head of Space Safety and Sustainability, Amazon Leo
- Dave Goldstein, Principal Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer, SpaceX
- Pablo Minguijon Pallas, Head of Flight Dynamics and Mission Analysis, Eutelsat*
- Ryan Shepperd, Space Situational Awareness Lead, Iridium
*Also part of the update effort, but unable to attend.
Registration for 2026 ASCEND is open. Journalists can request a Press Pass online.
Media contact: Rebecca Gray, [email protected], 804-397-5270
About AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world’s largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 91 countries, and 100 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, visit www.aiaa.org, and follow AIAA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter.
