Orbit Comprehensive Message (OEM) File

OMB Control Number: 0648-XXXX
Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

Data and Information Provided by Registered TraCSS Users
Updated March 6, 2025
This document provides an overview of information that will be provided by Registered TraCSS
users, including Spacecraft Owner/ Operators and National Governments. Some of this
information will be provided at registration, while other information is provided on a regular
basis. Registered TraCSS users are requested to keep information up to date.
Spacecraft Owner Registration/ Data Provision
Organizational
This is information collected about the
Information
organization when the admin registered in
TraCSS. Entities should keep this information
up to date.

Open
Data?

Reason for
collection

Organizational
contact
information:
Organization
name

This information focuses on the owner/
operator of the spacecraft.
Name of the organization registering on
TraCSS

OPEN Necessary for
identification

Headquarters
location (country/
countries)

Organization headquarters location (country
only). Multiple headquarters locations can be
listed, if relevant. Spacecraft will be affiliated
with the country in which the organization is
headquartered.

OPEN Necessary for
determining
country
affiliation

Primary Contact
information –
position title,
email, phone
number

The primary representative for the
Not
organization's admin account has the ability to
Open
edit account information and to add/ remove
other organizational users. This is the individual
that would be contacted with any general
inquiries for the organization (not emergency
issues).

Necessary for
identification

Sub-groups

The organization has the option to set up subgroups within the organization to help organize
and manage the account. These could represent
teams within the organization, for example.

Feature for
organizing the
account

Not
Open

1

Additional
organizational
users (names,
email addresses,
phone numbers)

These are additional users that the admin adds
Not
to the account. These users may include
Open
additional organizational admins, sub-group
admins, operators, and SSA service providers or
other contractors (under contract). [When
adding users, the admin will be able to set
permissions, for example, determining who has
write access and which users should receive
"emergency notifications"]. Users can be
assigned to sub-groups, if desired. Additional
users can also be added at a later time.

Necessary for
identification

Spacecraft
Information and
Attributes

Information collected about the spacecraft that
are operational (or soon to be operational) when
registering in TraCSS. If additional spacecraft
are launched by the organization after
registration, they can be added later.

Satellite name

Common name used to refer to the satellite. [To
avoid confusion, it is best to choose a unique
satellite name. Existing satellite names can be
found in the satellite catalog.]

OPEN Necessary for
identification/
UN
Registration

Alternate name(s)

Any alternate names used to refer to the
satellite

OPEN Necessary for
identification

NORAD ID (if
already assigned)

If an NORAD ID has been assigned to the
spacecraft, include it here. If a NORAD ID has
not yet been assigned, TraCSS will assign a
temporary ID.

OPEN Necessary for
identification

International
designator/
COSPAR ID (if
already assigned)
Owner/ operator
organization

If an International Designator/ COSPAR ID has
been created, include it here.

OPEN Necessary for
identification

Country of launch
license

Which country licensed the satellite to launch?

Automatically populated when satellite is added OPEN Necessary for
by an organizational user.
identification/
verification
OPEN Necessary for
determining
country
affiliation

2

Country
providing
communications
license

Which country licensed the satellite to operate
(communications)?

OPEN Necessary for
determining
country
affiliation

Country
providing remote
sensing/ novel
activities license

Which country licensed the satellite for remote
sensing (or novel activities)? [If applicable]

OPEN Necessary for
determining
country
affiliation

Country of UN
Registry

Which country registered the spacecraft with
the United Nations? [If known, available]

OPEN Necessary for
determining
country
affiliation

Constellation (if
applicable)

Is the satellite part of a constellation? If yes,
what is the name of the constellation?

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

Operational
Status

Provide this information at registration, if it is
available. This information will be
automatically updated by OCM. [Dropdown
Menu]: According to:
https://sanaregistry.org/r/operational_status/ +
in-transit, etc. (Check OCM)

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

Orbit category

Include in registration, if relevant;
Automatically updated by OCM. According to:
https://sanaregistry.org/r/orbit_categories/

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

Wet mass (binned
value)

Wet mass of the spacecraft. This value is used
for fragmentation model input. Operators may
provide mass as a binned value.

OPEN Necessary for
fragmentation
calculation

Hard body radius
[and method used
for calculation]

The hard body radius should be calculated
using a standard method; The method chosen
should be specified. If the Hard Body Radius
changes over the lifespan of the spacecraft (due
to a deployment, for example), this value
should be updated.

OPEN Necessary for
calculation of
Pc

3

Conjunction
mitigation
capabilities
(check all that
apply): chemical
propulsion,
electric
propulsion,
differential drag,
object reorientation, none
Expected
operational
mission lifetime
(at launch)?
Estimated total
time on orbit

Which types of conjunction mitigation
capabilities does the organization have the
ability to implement for this spacecraft?

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

What is the expected operational lifespan of the
spacecraft? This can be the value estimated at
launch.

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

What is the total expected time in orbit
(including time in orbit after operations have
ceased)? i.e. The period of time from launch
until the object expected to deorbit?

OPEN Helpful for
coordination

Launch Provider

Name of the organization providing the launch
(e.g. SpaceX, Arianespace, etc.)

OPEN Necessary for
identification/
catalog
maintanence

Launch Vehicle

Name of the vehicle providing the launch (e.g.
Falcon 9, Ariane 6, etc.)

OPEN Necessary for
identification/
catalog
maintanence

Launch Location

Spaceport used for launch, including spaceport
name and country [Drop-down menu]

Launch Date

If not yet launched, provide the current
schedule or best estimate. After launch, the date
should be updated to reflect the actual launch
date.

OPEN Needed for
UN
Registration
[This should
be a dropdown
menu with an
"other" option
- match UN
registry
values]
OPEN Necessary for
identification/
UN
Registration

4

Deployment date
(if different than
launch date)

If the deployment date is different than the
OPEN Necessary for
launch date, the deployment date should be
identification/
given. If not yet deployed, provide the current
catalog
schedule or best estimate. After deployment, the
maintanence
date should be updated to reflect the actual
deployment date.

Will anything be
If yes, you can also provide additional
deployed from it
explanation and/or upload drawings or other
(anything to
information)
change its shape)?

OPEN Necessary for
identification/
catalog
maintanence

Launch Name or
Primary Payload

If part of a rideshare, what is the primary
payload and/or name of the launch, if any?

OPEN Necessary for
identification/
catalog
maintanence

Planned Orbit
(initial and final if
there will be an
orbit change)

Provide the nodal period, apogee (km), perigee
(km), and inclination (deg). If there will be a
secondary orbit change, such as with a space
tug, give the method of the change and both
initial and final orbits.

General Function

The general function of the spacecraft. Choose
from:
-spacecraft engaged in investigation of
spaceflight techniques and technology
-spacecraft engaged in research and exploration
of the upper atmosphere or outer space
-spacecraft engaged in practical applications
and uses of space technology such as weather
or communications
-spent boosters, spent maneuvering stage,
shrouds and other non-functional objects
-reusable space transportation systems

OPEN Needed for
UN
Registration
[This should
be a dropdown
menu with an
"other" option
- match UN
registry
values]
OPEN Needed for
UN
Registration

5

Object Type
[Automatically
filled to Payload]

Automatically set to "Payload" (Following
https://sanaregistry.org/r/object_types/)

OPEN Necessary for
safety
calculation

Operational
notification
contact (name and
phone number(s))

This is the contact that should be used for
routine and/or time-sensitive operational issues
(e.g. coordinating on mitigation of a high risk
conjunction)

Not
Open

OPERATIONAL
Spacecraft
Information and
Attributes
O/o ephemerides
with covariance
and maneuver
plans
Maneuver Plans
Candidate
maneuvers
Operational
Status

This is information about the spacecraft
collected on a regular basis, not during
registration.

Necessary for
safety

OCM File

OPEN

OCM File
OCM File

OPEN
Not
OPEN
OPEN Helpful for
coordination

Field within the OCM (According to:
https://sanaregistry.org/r/operational_status/ +
in-transit, etc.)

National Government Registration/ Data Provision
This is information collected about the
organization when registering in TraCSS. Entities
should keep this information up to date.

Open
Data?

Country name

Name of the country registering [Drop-down
menu]

Necessary
for
OPEN identification

Organization
name

Name of the government organization registering
on TraCSS (Group admin organizational)

Necessary
for
OPEN identification

Organizational
Information
Organizational
contact
information:

Reason for
collection

6

Primary Contact
information –
position title,
email, phone
number
Additional
organizational
users (names,
email addresses,
phone numbers)

List of relevant
spacecraft
Spacecraft
owned/ operated
by organizations
headquartered in
your country

The primary representative for the organization's
admin account has the ability to edit account
information and to add/ remove other
organizational users. This is the individual that
would be contacted with any general inquiries for
the organization (not emergency issues).
These are additional users that the admin adds to
the account, including additional admins or other
users. They could include indivdiuals from other
government offices and/or government
contractors. The admin has responsibility for
validating and maintaining user access and
ensuring users abide by the user agreement.

Not
Open

Necessary
for
identification

Not
Open

Necessary
for
identification

Countries can provide a list of spacecraft
affiliated with their nation under the following
categories.
Spacecraft operated by organizations
headquartered in the country. (Provide spacecraft
name, NORAD ID/ International Designator, and
spacecraft organization name)

OPEN

List of satellites for which your country provided
Country of launch a launch license. (Include spacecraft name and
license
NORAD ID/ International Designator.)

OPEN

Country
providing
communications
license

List of satellites for which your country provided
a license to operate (communications license).
(Include spacecraft name and NORAD ID/
International Designator.)

OPEN

Country
providing remote
sensing/ novel
activities license

List of satellites for which your country provided
a remote sensing (or novel activities)? [If
applicable] (Include spacecraft name and
NORAD ID/ International Designator.)

OPEN

Spacecraft
registered by your Spacecraft registered by your nation in the UN
nation with the
Registry. (Include spacecraft name and NORAD
UN Registry
ID/ International Designator.)

OPEN

Necessary
for
determining
country
affiliation
Necessary
for
determining
country
affiliation
Necessary
for
determining
country
affiliation
Necessary
for
determining
country
affiliation
Necessary
for
determining
country
affiliation

7

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the
information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information
collection is 0648-XXXX. Without this approval, we could not conduct this information collection. Public reporting for this
information collection is estimated to be approximately 5 minutes for the basic registration information, 2 hours for Satellite File
information, and 15 minutes for the OEM file including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering
and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information
collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to the NODC Data Officer, SSMC3, 4th Floor, E/OC, 1315 East West Highway, Silver Spring,
MD 20910.
Privacy Act Statement
Authority: The collection of this information is authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 301, Departmental regulations which authorizes the
operations of an executive agency, including the creation, custodianship, maintenance and distribution of records, and 15 U.S.C.
1512, Powers and duties of Department.
Purpose: NOAA collects limited information, such as name, address, phone number, or email address for a variety of purposes. This
information will be used to respond to user inquiries or provide services requested by the user.
Routine Uses: Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a) to be shared among
Department staff for work-related purposes. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all of the published routine uses as
identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice COMMERCE/NOAA-11, Contact Information for Members of the Public
Requesting or Providing Information Related to NOAA’s Mission.
Disclosure: Furnishing this information is voluntary. By providing this information, you are consenting to the use of that
information only for the purpose for which it is submitted.