Satellite Congestion in Earth's Orbits: Exploratory Data and Correlation Analysis of Trends and Future Implications Using Python

Authors

  • Aditya Shrivastava The Governor's Academy, Byfield, MA
  • Michael Karin The Governor’s Academy, Byfield, MA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v14i1.8633

Keywords:

Space Industry, Satellites, Earth Orbits, Python, Overcrowding, Space Traffic Management

Abstract

The increasing number of satellites in Earth’s orbit has raised concerns about overcrowding and the potential risks of collisions and debris formation. This study analyzes datasets on satellite launches, types (government, commercial, and private), and their orbital altitudes to explore the overcrowding of Earth’s orbits. By using Python and libraries such as Pandas and Matplotlib, this research visualizes trends in satellite deployment and identifies potential future challenges for space traffic management. Additionally, the study explores possible future directions for the space industry, focusing on regulation and technology to mitigate overcrowding.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Aditya Shrivastava, The Governor's Academy, Byfield, MA

Aditya is junior at The Governor's Academy, Byfield, MA. Aditya has a strong passion for learning new technology (data analysis and AI). This research article is part of AP Statistics course that he is taking this year. Aditya has completed has been taking courses from local community college. He has completed Calculus - 1, Unix and Data base courses from community college.

Aditya is also a very active community member. He is very active participants in local community events and founder of safehaven4kids - a non profit, helping refugee kids in Boston area.

Michael Karin, The Governor’s Academy, Byfield, MA

Mike is AP statistics faculty in Mathmatics Department at The Governor's Academy, Byfield, MA.  Mike received his BS in mathematics from Bates College and his MST in mathematics from University of New Hampshire. Mike teaches mathematics and computer science. He is the head coach of JV girls soccer in the fall and JV girls ice hockey in the winter. Mike oversees evening study hall, is the chair of the prize committee, and is commissioner of "Twilite Softball" on campus. 

References or Bibliography

Ailor, W. H., & Patera, R. P. (2006). Space Debris and Mitigation Measures. Aerospace America, 44(8), 22-26. doi:10.2514/1.22233

Anderson, R. C., & Holladay, R. G. (2018). An Overview of Mega-Constellations and Their Impact on Low Earth Orbit. International Journal of Satellite Communications and Networking, 36(2), 123-139. doi:10.1002/sat.1229

Boley, A. C., & Byers, M. (2021). Satellite Mega-Constellations Create Risks in Low Earth Orbit, the Atmosphere and on Earth. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-8. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-83757-3

European Space Agency (ESA). (2020). Space Debris and Human Spacecraft. ESA Space Debris Office. Retrieved from https://www.esa.int/Safety_Security/Space_Debris

Kessler, D. J., & Cour-Palais, B. G. (1978). Collision Frequency of Artificial Satellites: The Creation of a Debris Belt. Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 83(A6), 2637-2646. doi:10.1029/JA083iA06p02637

Liou, J.-C., & Johnson, N. L. (2009). A Comparison of Two Collision Probability Algorithms. Advances in Space Research, 43(8), 1371-1375. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2008.10.033

Matney, M. J., & Anz-Meador, P. D. (2015). Space Traffic Management and Space Situational Awareness. NASA Orbital Debris Quarterly News, 19(1), 3-7. Retrieved from https://orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/quarterly-news/

McKnight, D. S., Di Pentino, F., & Kapoor, K. (2017). Space Traffic Management in the New Space Era. Aerospace Corporation Report, 45(3), 9-15. Retrieved from https://aerospace.org/sites/default/files/2017-07/McKnight-DiPentinoKapoor_NewSpaceEra_060917.pdf

Shoemaker, M., & Raj, V. (2022). Implementing AI in Space Traffic Management for Collision Avoidance. Journal of Aerospace Information Systems, 19(5), 178-185. doi:10.2514/1.I010991

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). (2023). UCS Satellite Database. Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/satellite-database

Wang, Z., & Xu, H. (2020). Application of Small Satellites in the Modern Space Industry. Space Policy, 51, 101353. doi:10.1016/j.spacepol.2019.101353

Published

02-28-2025

How to Cite

Shrivastava, A., & Karin, M. (2025). Satellite Congestion in Earth’s Orbits: Exploratory Data and Correlation Analysis of Trends and Future Implications Using Python. Journal of Student Research, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v14i1.8633

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2025)

Section

HS Research Articles

Copyright (c) 2025 Aditya Shrivastava; Michael Karin

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Copyright holder(s) granted JSR a perpetual, non-exclusive license to distriute & display this article.