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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteA satellite conjunction alert means two tracked objects are predicted to pass close to one another; it does not, by itself, mean a collision is imminent or likely. Confirm the latest event data, assess risk under the spacecraft operator’s approved process, coordinate with the authorized decision-maker and any relevant other operator, then screen and communicate any planned response.
What does a conjunction alert mean?
A screening alert flags a predicted close approach. It is an initial detection, not a final judgment about whether the objects will collide. NASA’s Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) explains that screening results indicate close proximity but do not determine the actual collision risk: NASA CARA: Step 2, Close Approach Risk Assessment.
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NASA describes its own on-orbit screening as being driven by U.S. Space Force 18th Space Defense Squadron catalog screenings conducted three times a day. That cadence describes NASA’s setting; it should not be assumed for every screening provider or operator. NASA Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis
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What information should you check first?
Use the latest alert or conjunction data message available through the mission’s established process. Capture the information needed to identify the event and evaluate whether the assessment has changed:
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- The two objects involved and their identifiers.
- The time of closest approach (TCA).
- When the alert data were updated.
- The estimated miss distance and probability of collision (Pc), if supplied.
- Available uncertainty or covariance information.
An alert label alone is not enough to decide whether to maneuver. The reported miss distance is an estimate, and risk assessment must consider uncertainty as well as the objects’ relative paths and the mission’s criteria.
How should the operator assess collision risk?
Route the event to the mission’s designated conjunction-assessment team and use its approved tools, thresholds and actionability criteria. NASA CARA separates screening from risk assessment because a close predicted pass does not by itself establish collision likelihood or consequences. NASA guidance uses Pc as its principal risk metric and also considers miss distance relative to the combined hard-body radius—the effective combined size used in the assessment. NASA CARA: Step 2, Close Approach Risk Assessment
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NASA’s published thresholds are useful examples of one agency’s process, not universal rules for satellite operators:
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- Pc above 1E-04 or miss distance below the combined hard-body radius: NASA’s NPR 8079.1 gives these as baseline mitigation criteria at the mitigation commitment point. The requirement applies within the NASA procedural scope, not to every operator. NASA NPR 8079.1
NASA CARA’s mitigation guidance describes a post-mitigation Pc goal of approximately 3E-06—about 1.5 orders of magnitude below its 1E-04 mitigation requirement. This is a NASA-framework target, not a general standard. NASA CARA: Step 3, Mitigation
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When should the mission make a decision?
Use the mission’s event-specific decision timeline; the useful time available depends on the event, spacecraft and operations plan. In NASA CARA’s high-risk conjunction process, planning begins about three days before TCA, with a final risk examination and decision at a maneuver commitment point typically 1 to 0.5 days before TCA. Those are NASA operational reference points, not a schedule guaranteed for every event or operator. NASA CARA: Step 3, Mitigation
As TCA approaches, check whether new data materially change the risk assessment and whether there is still enough time to plan, approve, screen and execute a response. The mission’s documented criteria and decision timeline govern; do not treat a single alert update or a generic timing figure as authorization to act.
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Who decides whether to maneuver?
The mission’s authorized decision-maker is responsible for the decision, supported by the assessment team. Under NASA NPR 8079.1, CARA recommends whether mitigation is appropriate from a space-environment-safety perspective, while the project manager makes the decision. This is NASA’s governance model; another operator should follow its own approved authority and escalation process. NASA NPR 8079.1
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If the other object is an active, maneuverable spacecraft, NASA’s handbook recommends direct owner/operator coordination to agree on the response and determine which vehicle will maneuver. Its guidance calls for the other spacecraft’s planned trajectory to remain stable through TCA once the maneuver plan is coordinated. Apply this within the relevant operator agreements and communication procedures. NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook
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What mitigation options may be available?
The appropriate response depends on spacecraft capability, mission constraints, the assessed risk reduction and the time remaining. NASA describes several approaches:
| Option | How it can reduce risk | Key consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Propulsive trajectory change | Changes the spacecraft’s path so the predicted separation increases. | NASA identifies this as its most common mitigation for high-risk events; it requires a spacecraft capable of maneuvering and an operationally acceptable trajectory change. NASA CARA: Step 3, Mitigation |
| Differential drag | Uses changes in atmospheric drag to alter relative motion. | NASA identifies it as an option for some missions; suitability depends on the spacecraft and its operating conditions. NASA CARA: Step 3, Mitigation |
| Attitude change to reduce projected area | Changes spacecraft orientation to reduce its frontal area and, in turn, the chance of an intersection. | NASA lists this for spacecraft without trajectory-modification capability; it is not a substitute for assessing the specific event and mission constraints. NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook |
For any proposed action, compare the assessed Pc and miss distance before and after the maneuver using the operator’s criteria. A maneuver is not automatically safer simply because it changes the trajectory: it can create a new close approach with a different object.
How should a planned maneuver be screened and communicated?
- Build the plan under the mission’s approved process. Select an action consistent with the spacecraft’s capability and mission constraints, and obtain approval from the authorized decision-maker.
- Screen the planned trajectory. NASA’s handbook recommends screening the maneuver ephemeris against the full catalog and checking that the action does not introduce another conjunction above the applicable mitigation threshold. NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook
- Send maneuver intent and trajectory data through required channels. Share information early enough for the relevant screening authority and any coordinating operator to assess the plan. NASA’s handbook emphasizes timely sharing, but exact submission channels and deadlines depend on each operator’s procedures. NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook
- Update the trajectory if execution differs from the plan. NASA’s handbook recommends submitting an updated ephemeris when the executed maneuver differs from the planned one, so follow the mission’s procedures for reporting the change and enabling renewed screening. NASA Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment and Collision Avoidance Best Practices Handbook
What if the alert changes or the data are uncertain?
Keep the assessment tied to the latest available event data and the mission’s documented decision criteria. If updates change Pc, miss distance, uncertainty or the available decision time, the conjunction-assessment team should evaluate the event again under its approved process. If information needed to make a stable decision is unavailable, escalate that uncertainty to the authorized decision-maker rather than treating the alert label as conclusive.
NASA NPR 8079.1 is effective June 27, 2023, and lists an expiration date of June 27, 2028. Its mandatory applicability is to NASA employees and programs within its scope; operators elsewhere should use their own governing requirements and procedures. NASA NPR 8079.1
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