International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety

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International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety
Company typeNon-profit organization
Industry Space
Founded Noordwijk, Netherlands (April 2004 (2004-04))
Headquarters Noordwijk, Netherlands
Members200 members from 25 countries
Website www.iaass.org

The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) is a non-profit organization committed to furthering international cooperation and scientific advancement in space systems safety. Its aim is to advance the science and application of space safety. IAASS was legally established on April 16, 2004 in the Netherlands. It became a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in October 2004. [1] The IAASS is based on the intellectual interaction of individual members who together shape the technical vision of the association, and make the association services available to stakeholders (on a non-profit basis).

Contents

In June 2006, former US Senator John Glenn and first American to orbit became an Honorary Member. In June 2010, IAASS was granted the Observer status at the United Nations COPUOS (Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space).

The association counts more than 200 professional members from 25 countries, 55% of the members are from industry, while the remaining 45% come from space agencies, governmental institutions and academia.

A 2005 report by the Space and Advanced Communications Research Institute (SACRI) of George Washington University, titled Space Safety Report: Vulnerabilities and Risk Reduction In U.S. Human Space Flight Programs suggested that the newly formed IAASS might help improve the safety of the International Space Station (ISS). It also recommended NASA work with the IAASS to develop safety standards and advancement of space debris minimization and control. [2]

The first IAASS conference was held in Nice, France in October 2005. The European Space Agency sponsored the second IAASS Conference "Space Safety in a Global World" in May 2007 in Chicago. [3] The third conference was held 21–23 October 2008 in Rome, Italy. The fourth conference was held 19–21 May in Huntsville, USA. The fifth conference was held 17–19 October 2011 in Versailles, France, and the 6th conference 21–23 May 2013 in Montreal, Canada.

Space Safety

Space safety is defined as freedom from man-made or natural harmful conditions. Harmful conditions are defined as those conditions that can cause death, injury, illness, damage to or loss of systems, facilities, equipment or property, or damage to the environment.

This definition of space safety includes human on board, personnel directly involved in system integration and operation, personnel not directly involved but co-located, as well as general public. For unmanned systems such as robotic satellites, damages due to non-malicious external causes that translates into degradation or loss of mission objectives is also included in the definition of safety. For example, unwanted collision of a satellite with another satellite, or with a space debris. Fig.1 shows the various fields of space safety, their national, international or global scope of interest, and the principal means for achieving safety (by design, or operations), although a mixture would be generally used.

What Space Safety involves Space Safety.png
What Space Safety involves

Although safety refers to threats that are non-voluntary in nature (design errors, malfunctions, human errors, etc.), security refers to threats which are voluntary (i.e. of aggressive nature such as use of anti-satellite weapons). In some languages a single term is used for both, which may sometimes be confusing.

Absolute freedom from harmful conditions is impossible to achieve. To be absolutely safe a system, product, device, material or environment should never cause or have the potential to cause an accident. In the realization and operation of systems the term safety is generally used to mean acceptable risk level, not absolute safety.

Acceptable risk level is not the same as personal acceptance of risk, but it refers to risk acceptability by stakeholders’ community or by society in a broad sense. Acceptable risk levels vary from system to system, and evolve with time due to socio-economic changes and technological advancement. Implementing proven best-practices at status-of-art is a prerequisite for achieving an acceptable risk level, or in other words to make a system safe. Best-practices are traditionally established by government regulations and norms, and/or by industrial standards. Without such reference the term safety, or acceptable risk, becomes meaningless. In other words, compliance with regulations, norms and standards represents the safety yardstick of a system.

Journal of Space Safety Engineering

The Journal of Space Safety Engineering (JSSE) is a quarterly publication of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS). JSSE serves applied scientists, engineers, policy makers and safety advocates with a platform to develop, promote and coordinate the science, technology and practice of space safety.

The journal has a distinguished Editorial Board with extensive qualifications, ensuring that the journal maintains high scientific and technical standards and has a broad international coverage.

Space Safety Magazine

The Space Safety Magazine (SSM) is a quarterly print magazine and a daily news website, jointly published by the International Association for Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) and the International Space Safety Foundation (ISSF). Space Safety Magazine [4] is focused on safety related issues affecting space as well as safety on Earth from space events and objects.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Risk management</span> Identification, evaluation and control of risks

Risk management is the identification, evaluation, and prioritization of risks followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safety engineering</span> Engineering discipline which assures that engineered systems provide acceptable levels of safety

Safety engineering is an engineering discipline which assures that engineered systems provide acceptable levels of safety. It is strongly related to industrial engineering/systems engineering, and the subset system safety engineering. Safety engineering assures that a life-critical system behaves as needed, even when components fail.

Space technology is technology for use in outer space. Space technology Includes space vehicles such as spacecraft, satellites, space stations and orbital launch vehicles; deep-space communication; in-space propulsion; and a wide variety of other technologies including support infrastructure equipment, and procedures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biosafety</span> Prevention of large-scale loss of biological integrity

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaceflight</span> Flight into or through outer space

Spaceflight is an application of astronautics to fly objects, usually spacecraft, into or through outer space, either with or without humans on board. Most spaceflight is uncrewed and conducted mainly with spacecraft such as satellites in orbit around Earth, but also includes space probes for flights beyond Earth orbit. Such spaceflight operate either by telerobotic or autonomous control. The more complex human spaceflight has been pursued soon after the first orbital satellites and has reached the Moon and permanent human presence in space around Earth, particularly with the use of space stations. Human spaceflight programs include the Soyuz, Shenzhou, the past Apollo Moon landing and the Space Shuttle programs. Other current spaceflight are conducted to the International Space Station and to China's Tiangong Space Station.

Risk assessment determines possible mishaps, their likelihood and consequences, and the tolerances for such events. The results of this process may be expressed in a quantitative or qualitative fashion. Risk assessment is an inherent part of a broader risk management strategy to help reduce any potential risk-related consequences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safety</span> State of being secure from harm, injury, danger, or other non-desirable outcomes

Safety is the state of being "safe", the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space debris</span> Pollution around Earth by defunct artificial objects

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupational safety and health</span> Field concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at work

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diver training</span> Processes to develop the skills and knowledge to dive safely underwater

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Diving safety is the aspect of underwater diving operations and activities concerned with the safety of the participants. The safety of underwater diving depends on four factors: the environment, the equipment, behaviour of the individual diver and performance of the dive team. The underwater environment can impose severe physical and psychological stress on a diver, and is mostly beyond the diver's control. Equipment is used to operate underwater for anything beyond very short periods, and the reliable function of some of the equipment is critical to even short-term survival. Other equipment allows the diver to operate in relative comfort and efficiency, or to remain healthy over the longer term. The performance of the individual diver depends on learned skills, many of which are not intuitive, and the performance of the team depends on competence, communication, attention and common goals.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space sustainability</span> Activity aimed at minimising space environmental impact

Space sustainability aims to maintain the safety and health of the space environment.

References

  1. "About IAASS". International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  2. "Human Spaceflight Safety Report" (PDF). FAA. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  3. "2nd IAASS Conference"Space Safety in a Global World"" (PDF). ESA. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  4. "Space Safety Magazine". IAASS and ISSF. Retrieved 29 July 2013.