WASHINGTON — The Space Data Association (SDA), the nonprofit organization of satellite operators that shares space situational awareness data, added Orbcomm and Turksat as members, the association announced June 3.
The addition of the two companies brings the number of member companies and organizations to 21. That includes four “executive members”: Eutelsat, Intelsat, Inmarsat and SES. Other members include satellite operators, manufacturers and government agencies.
The SDA maintains a data center where members provide updated information on their spacecraft. The database allows members to avoid potential collisions with other members’ spacecraft, as well as mitigate radiofrequency interference.
“When it comes to providing vital data, it is clear that the more participants we have feeding into that, the more accurate we can be,” SDA Chairman Mark Rawlins said in a statement. “We look forward to continued growth over the coming months.”
