Safety Design for Space Operations

Space mission risks are commonly perceived as associated with astronaut safety because of the exceptional attention that human spaceflight attracts, but the majority of space missions are unmanned, and these have great associated risk also, particularly relating to the safety of general public and ground personnel, the safeguarding of valuable assets on the ground and in orbit and the protection of the ground, air and space environment. While the number of space operators is continuously increasing with the growth in commercial space operations, the awareness of and international approach to space mission safety risks is lagging behind. With information on the topic currently disparate and difficult to find in one place, this unique resource brings together essential material on best design practices, such as the design of spaceport facilities, the utilization of advanced analysis methods, such as those used to calculate launch and re-entry debris fall-out risk and the implementation of safe operation procedures, such as on-orbit space traffic management.