Showcase and Comparison of Three Methods for Visualizing Near-Earth Satellite Conjunction Events

The field of satellite conjunction assessment, dating back to the early NASA Space Shuttle Program, is a cornerstone of modern space environment awareness and safety, with the goal of keeping spacecraft in orbit safe from potentially catastrophic collisions. This paper explores three different methods for visualizing near-Earth satellite conjunction events (ellipsoid, bananoid, and point cloud), including derivations, analyses of use cases, and comparisons to currently-employed methods. Parallels are highlighted between these visualization methods and the corresponding probability of collision calculation methods developed by NASA CARA. A discussion is included of future visualization considerations and visualizations for non-near-Earth (e.g., cislunar) conjunctions.