Multi-Domain Traffic Management: Toward Integrated Air and Space Transport Operations

Recent trends in suborbital flights and human-rated space operations have extended the use of airspace, highlighting the gaps in the existing International Civil Aviation Organization and the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space regulations. The integration of conventional air traffic management, high-altitude operations, and emerging space traffic management services into a fully scalable multi-domain traffic management (MDTM) framework is a promising solution to fill the existing regulatory gaps and evolve the static segregation-based approaches, thereby supporting a flexible and more sustainable growth of the air and space transport industry. This article introduces an integrated and fully interoperable separation assurance and collision risk assessment framework for MDTM. The proposed architecture reflects existing regulatory guidelines and addresses the coexistence of air traffic and space launch/reentry operations in both controlled and unregulated airspace below the Karman line. Despite the foreseen implementation challenges at both national and global levels, an integrated MDTM framework will provide all participating organizations the flexibility to manage traffic in a safe, efficient, and sustainable manner and promote the implementation of new cohesive safety standards and operational regulations.