Orbital debris environment and data requirements

Orbital debris is already a major design consideration for Space Station Freedom and is becoming important to the design of unmanned spacecraft. Mathematical models predict the environment will increase with time. The amount it increases is dependent on future operations in space, and how these operations are conducted. Therefore, it is important to understand the sources of debris and which operations will minimize debris generation. This requires that debris be monitored. Currently, NASA plans to have an operational capability to monitor 1 cm debris at 500 km by 1991. However, there are currently no plans to monitor the environment of smaller debris which will be important to future spacecraft design.