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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has enhanced its Space Data Integrator (SDI) tool by incorporating two new companies, Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space. This tool significantly boosts situational awareness, aiding the FAA in efficiently and safely managing air traffic during space operations, including space tourism.
The FAA can now monitor Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space vehicles in near-real time throughout their launch and reentry phases. These companies will provide telemetry data—including position, altitude, and speed—to the SDI tool, enhancing safety for all airspace users.
The SDI, when combined with other tools and procedures, enables the FAA to swiftly reopen airspace—sometimes as quickly as three minutes—after a launch or reentry vehicle has cleared a designated aircraft hazard area. Additionally, it aids the FAA in responding to anomalies. Since the tool’s inception in 2021, about 70 percent of all commercial space operations in U.S. airspace have shared SDI data with the FAA, a figure set to rise with the addition of new operators.
With the inclusion of Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space, alongside SpaceX, the FAA anticipates that more commercial space operators, particularly in the burgeoning space tourism sector, will start utilizing the SDI tool later this year.
The FAA oversees FAA-licensed commercial space missions, as well as those conducted by NASA, the U.S. military, and other U.S. government agencies. The number of integrated space operations rose to 130 in 2023, up from 27 in 2016, and is projected to reach nearly 200 in 2024.
The post FAA’s Flight Data Tool Gains Virgin Galactic and Sierra Space for Better Airspace Management appeared first on Travel And Tour World.
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