Commerce Department’s New Traffic Coordination System for Space Launches Initial Capabilities
TraCSS Phase 1.0 to provide safety alerts in midst of growing space traffic and debris
NOAA, a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, announced that the initial phase of its Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) has begun delivering spaceflight safety services to a beta group of satellite operators. Today, for the first time, satellite operators are receiving basic space situational awareness (SSA) data and space traffic coordination (STC) services from the Commerce Department.
TraCSS is a modern, cloud-based IT system that provides warning notifications for satellites potentially in danger of collision. With increasing numbers of satellites and orbital debris, space traffic information and safety notifications are essential for global spaceflight safety and the long-term sustainability of the space environment.
Nine satellite operators – NOAA, Maxar, Telesat, Intelsat, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Planet Labs, Eutelsat Oneweb, Iridium, and the Aerospace Corporation – now receive validated safety notifications from TraCSS in the form of conjunction data messages (CDMs, alerts describing potential collisions). TraCSS will add satellite operators and provide more data and services as the program progresses.
The announcement marks a milestone in DOC’s work to implement the U.S. Space Priorities Framework and Space Policy Directive-3, which directed DOC to take this mission over from the Department of Defense.
“The Office of Space Commerce leads our Department’s efforts to advance U.S. leadership in the global commercial space industry, and TraCSS is a testament to U.S. leadership in safe and sustainable space commerce,” said U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves. “The Department of Commerce is building this system in close cooperation with industry partners to harness and promote commercial innovation in space. Together, we are helping to ensure the safe and sustainable growth of the space economy.”
“As space has become more congested, NOAA has risen to the challenge to prevent catastrophic collisions in space by developing TraCSS,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D.
“TraCSS represents a modern approach to spaceflight safety, integrating the latest technologies and providing on-ramps for continuous improvements that will scale into the future,” said Richard Dalbello, director of NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce. “I’m thankful for our team and partners for doing the hard work to launch the first phase on schedule.”
“The Department of Defense (DoD) is working side-by-side with the Department of Commerce (DoC) to ensure the seamless transfer of responsibility for civil and commercial Space Situational Awareness services and information,” said Performing the Duties of Associate Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, Mr. John Hill. “As the DoC assumes this important mission, it will continue to have access to data collected through DoD’s worldwide space surveillance network. DoD will also continue to provide SSA services to civil and commercial users during the transition process until DoC is able to assume full responsibility for the mission. Transitioning the spaceflight safety SSA responsibilities to DoC, a civil agency, will improve support to these users and allow DoD to focus its resources on core defense missions.”
More about TraCSS
TraCSS is an agile software development program that is being conducted in several phases. In Phase 1.0, TraCSS provides CDMs for approximately 1,000 space objects six times a day. The CDMs generated by TraCSS Phase 1.0 are currently distributed to a set of beta users via the Space-Track.org website managed by the Department of Defense.
The TraCSS program has accelerated since receiving a significant funding boost in Fiscal Year 2023. Collaboration among the Department of Commerce, NOAA, and the Office of Space Commerce teams with industry enabled rapid progress from receiving an Authority to Proceed from DOC on March 5, 2024, to the TraCSS system integrator contract award later in March 2024, to achieving Authority to Operate with NOAA Office of the Chief Information Officer in August 2024, and the successful fielding of TraCSS 1.0.
Today’s release marks the start of the beta test phase of the project, as the TraCSS team continues to field successive upgrades over the next year, leading to Phase 1.4 by the end of September 2025. Planned improvements include the establishment of a dedicated TraCSS.gov website and the integration of additional commercial SSA capabilities. The Office of Space Commerce (OSC) will also work with the Department of Defense to migrate satellite operators from Space-Track.org to TraCSS.
Learn more about TraCSS: space.commerce.gov/tracss.
About NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce
NOAA’s OSC is the principal unit for the coordination of commercial space-related issues, programs and initiatives within the Commerce Department. Its mission is to foster the conditions for the economic growth and technological advancement of the U.S. commercial space industry. Per Space Policy Directive-3 and the U.S. Space Priorities Framework, OSC is taking over responsibility from the Department of Defense for the provision of basic SSA data and STC safety services to space operators.
Media contact
Ross Hatley, ross.hatley@noaa.gov, 202-596-0561