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This paper describes a repository for ontologies of astronomy, astronautics, and other space-related topics. It may be called AstroPortal (or SpacePortal), AstroHub (or SpaceHub), etc. The creation of this repository will be applicable to academic, research and other data-intensive sectors. It is relevant for space sciences (including astronomy), Earth science, and astronautics (spaceflight), among other data-intensive disciplines. The repository should provide a centralized platform to search, review and create ontologies for astro-related topics. It thereby can decrease research time, while also providing a user-friendly means to study and compare knowledge organization systems or semantic resources of the target domains. With no apparent repository available on the target domain, this paper also expresses a novel concept., Comment: See also https://github.com/rrovetto/astroportal

This paper demonstrates the development of ontology for satellite databases. First, I create a computational ontology for the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Satellite Database (UCSSD for short), called the UCS Satellite Ontology (or UCSSO). Second, in developing UCSSO I show that The Space Situational Awareness Ontology (SSAO) (Rovetto and Kelso 2016)--an existing space domain reference ontology--and related ontology work by the author (Rovetto 2015, 2016) can be used either (i) with a database-specific local ontology such as UCSSO, or (ii) in its stead. In case (i), local ontologies such as UCSSO can reuse SSAO terms, perform term mappings, or extend it. In case (ii), the author's orbital space ontology work, such as the SSAO, is usable by the UCSSD and organizations with other space object catalogs, as a reference ontology suite providing a common semantically-rich domain model. The SSAO, UCSSO, and the broader Orbital Space Environment Domain Ontology project is online at http://purl.org/space-ontology and GitHub. This ontology effort aims, in part, to provide accurate formal representations of the domain for various applications. Ontology engineering has the potential to facilitate the sharing and integration of satellite data from federated databases and sensors for safer spaceflight.

The orbital debris problem presents an opportunity for inter-agency and international cooperation toward the mutually beneficial goals of debris prevention, mitigation, remediation, and improved space situational awareness (SSA). Achieving these goals requires sharing orbital debris and other SSA data. Toward this, I present an ontological architecture for the orbital debris domain, taking steps in the creation of an orbital debris ontology (ODO). The purpose of this ontological system is to (I) represent general orbital debris and SSA domain knowledge, (II) structure, and standardize where needed, orbital data and terminology, and (III) foster semantic interoperability and data-sharing. In doing so I hope to (IV) contribute to solving the orbital debris problem, improving peaceful global SSA, and ensuring safe space travel for future generations.

Space situational awareness (SSA) is vital for international safety and security, and the future of space travel. By improving SSA data-sharing we improve global SSA. Computational ontology may provide one means toward that goal. This paper develops the ontology of the SSA domain and takes steps in the creation of the space situational awareness ontology. Ontology objectives, requirements and desiderata are outlined; and both the SSA domain and the discipline of ontology are described. The purposes of the ontology include: exploring the potential for ontology development and engineering to (i) represent SSA data, general domain knowledge, objects and relationships (ii) annotate and express the meaning of that data, and (iii) foster SSA data-exchange and integration among SSA actors, orbital debris databases, space object catalogs and other SSA data repositories. By improving SSA via data- and knowledge-sharing, we can (iv) expand our scientific knowledge of the space environment, (v) advance our capacity for planetary defense from near-Earth objects, and (vi) ensure the future of safe space flight for generations to come., Comment: Paper presented at 26th AIAA/AAS Space Flight Mechanics meeting, Napa, CA. USA, February 14-18, 2016. Forthcoming in Advances in the Astronautics, Univelt