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University Spacecraft Operators Forum
About
The Office of Space Commerce’s “University Spacecraft Operators Forum” is designed to bring together spacecraft operators from academic institutions to share best practices for safe and responsible space operations.
OSC intends to hold the forum on a quarterly basis, through both in-person and virtual meetings. Updates regarding upcoming sessions will be posted on this page.
For more information or to express interest in joining the group’s email contact/distribution list, contact the Office of Space Commerce team at Space.Commerce@noaa.gov and TraCSS.Outreach@noaa.gov.
Upcoming & Past Sessions
Click on the drop-downs below to view information (registration, agenda, venue location, and accompanying details) about past, current, and upcoming Space Workforce Forum sessions.
2026 Small Satellite Conference O/O Forum – August 26, 2026
2026 Small Satellite Conference O/O Forum
On Wednesday, August 26, at the Small Satellite Conference, OSC will host an in-person “satellite owner/operator” forum. During this open forum, the team will provide an overview of the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), which offers free spaceflight safety services to operators worldwide.
We will discuss how spacecraft operators – including those from academic institutions – can leverage TraCSS to enhance awareness of the space environment and improve operational safety. The team will also walk prospective users of TraCSS through the steps needed to register and onboard onto the system.
For more information, contact: Derek Iannapollo – TraCSS Outreach
Email: derek.a.iannapollo@noaa.gov
2026 Inaugural Forum – May 27, 2026
May 2026 Inaugural Forum
On Wednesday, May 27, the Office of Space Commerce’s Traffic Coordination System for Space team hosted the first session of the “University Spacecraft Operators Forum.”
During this session, the team provided an overview of the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), which offers free spaceflight safety services to operators worldwide. The team discussed how university spacecraft operators can leverage TraCSS to enhance awareness of the space environment, improve operational safety, and support hands-on training for students entering the space industry.
More Information:
Why should university spacecraft operators connect with the Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS)?
- Ensure your university contributes to best practices for spaceflight safety.
- Get access to the newest U.S. space situational awareness system.
- Train students to work with space situational awareness data to support safe space operations.
- Provide input to the TraCSS team to improve spaceflight safety in the future.