Assurance of geospatial and celestial data

Abstract

Geospatial and celestial datasets are used extensively to support safety-critical applications across multiple industries. Examples include aircraft navigation aids, charts, terrain elevation data, and many others. In commercial space, examples include star positions, micrometeoroid, and orbital debris data (MMOD), terrestrial or lunar navaids, lunar terrain data. Depending on its application, this data has the potential to cause hazards and therefore needs to be assured. Approval of this data cannot be achieved by any one company or body alone; the international commercial space industry needs to develop an ecosystem of interlocking standards and oversight. The aviation industry provides a good example of how this might be accomplished.