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TraCSS Listening Session: Updated CDM & OCM Specifications

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On Friday, August 1, 2025, the NOAA Office of Space Commerce (OSC) held a virtual Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS) stakeholder listening session on the updated TraCSS Conjunction Data Message (CDM) and Orbit Comprehensive Message (OCM) Specifications.

This listening session was an opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback on the latest versions of the TraCSS CDM and OCM specifications prior to their implementation within the TraCSS program.

Background

On April 30, 2025, the Office of Space Commerce held a listening session to collect stakeholder input and feedback on the draft TraCSS CDM specification, TraCSS Spec-001-2.0.

After working with the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) and incorporating feedback from beta users, the SSA community, and the public, the TraCSS team has produced new drafts of the CDM and OCM specifications (available below).

The CDM specification has received substantial changes since the last listening session. This updated version explicitly shows the KVN, XML, and JSON formats. This version also provides CDMs in adherence to the CCSDS CDM format and user expectations, while still allowing for the growth of capabilities currently envisioned by the TraCSS team.

The OCM specification has been reformatted for easier understanding and reference; and several of the previously mandatory fields have been made optional.

Feedback

Stakeholders wishing to provide feedback may do so via written comment submitted by email to Space.Commerce@noaa.gov.

Proposed Questions for Feedback:

  • TraCSS will expect that users submit ephemeris to the TraCSS system in the OCM format. Additionally, TraCSS will be providing SP ephemeris as a public data product once a day. The TraCSS team would like to maintain consistency by also providing this data in the OCM format. Please provide feedback if that decision would cause any substantial hardship.

Accompanying Documents:

Presenters:

  • Robert Wolff – Flight Dynamics Engineer, TraCSS Engineering Branch, NOAA Office of Space Commerce
  • Dr. Dianne Poster – Senior Advisor, NOAA Office of Space Commerce (NIST Detailee)

About TraCSS Listening Sessions:

The Traffic Coordination System for Space listening sessions, hosted by the Department of Commerce’s Office of Space Commerce, are open meetings to provide the public, space operator, and SSA community with the most up-to-date information about TraCSS. These sessions are an opportunity for stakeholders to offer and provide feedback to the Office of Space Commerce regarding development of the TraCSS program.

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