On Sept. 22, 2016, the fourth annual AMOS Dialogue, a small, invitation-only workshop was co- hosted by the Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB) and Secure World Foundation (SWF) during the 2016 Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies (AMOS) Conference, held on the Hawaiian island of Maui, Sept. 20-23, 2016.
The goal of the AMOS Dialogue series is to facilitate discussion among key stakeholders in space situational awareness (SSA), thereby promoting greater collaboration and cooperation to enhance SSA for safe and responsible space activities. To accomplish this, the Dialogue brings together representatives from current and future SSA programs and initiatives around the world with a variety of end users and stakeholders so that they may exchange information and views in a not-for-attribution setting.
The topic of the 2016 AMOS Dialogue was a discussion of the SSA challenges posed by small satellites, with the goal of identifying steps that can be taken by both small satellite operators and SSA providers to improve the detection, tracking, and identification of small satellites to enhance conjunction assessment and collision avoidance.
Main takeaways from the discussion include the concern of long-term effects of smallsats on SSA capabilities and analysis, the equal concern about unnecessarily limiting smallsats through onerous regulation, and worries about SSA sharing in general that also apply to smallsats.
Read the full report authored by the Secure World Foundation