FAA activates powerful new system to track spacecraft in near-real time
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has activated a powerful new system that’ll enable it to track rocket launches in near-real-time, as well as spacecraft when they reenter Earth’s airspace on their way to the ground. The new program is intended to increase the safety of the US’s National Airspace System, according to the agency, joining the FAA’s existing air traffic management efforts.
The new capability is called the Space Data Integrator (SDI), which is a prototype now in operation intended to receive data about rocket launches and spacecraft reentry. The data includes important details like the rocket or spacecraft’s altitude and position that are used to track a launch’s actual trajectory in addition to its planned trajectory.