NASA to fund new AeroAstro research on orbital debris, lunar sustainability

As part of NASA’s commitment to foster responsible exploration of the universe for the benefit of humanity, the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) is funding space sustainability research proposals from five university-based teams to analyze critical economic, social, and policy issues related to Earth’s orbit and cislunar space.

A panel of NASA experts selected the following proposals submitted by AeroAstro researchers: 

• “Synthesizing Frameworks of Sustainability for Futures on the Moon,” submitted by Afreen Siddiqi (ESL).
• “Avoiding the Kessler Syndrome Through Policy Intervention,” submitted by Prof. Richard Linares (ARCLab) with Prof. Dan Hastings and Prof. Danielle Wood.

Three of the five total awards will fund research that addresses the growing problem of orbital debris, while the remaining two focus on lunar surface sustainability and policy questions that may factor into mission planning.