"The amount of debris in space is growing at an alarming rate, raising concern about operational spacecraft colliding with orbiting debris. This book analyzes the probability of such a collision when the orbits of two approaching objects are based on measurements with inherent errors. Many recent papers have dealt with the methodology of computing the collision probability in the encounter region, butt they have assumed that the encounter is a flyby and is short-term, with the trajectories of the objects represented by straight lines. By contrast, Spacecraft Collision Probability, the outgrowth of the authorís research during the past two decades, deals not only with those cases but also with important long-term cases in which objects spend protracted periods in the vicinity of each other. An extensive chapter is included on the International Space Station, to demonstrate how one would accurately gauge its probability of collision. The ISS is modeled according to its actual complex shape, component by component enabling the detailed computation of a more realistic collision probability than one would obtain by the routine practice of modeling it as a sphere. In addition, the author developed Excel macros to obtain the numerical tables and graphical plots appearing in the book. That software is available on the Supporting Materials page of the AIAA website."

Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgments
Ch. 1 Overview
Ch. 2 Spacecraft Encounters
Ch. 3 The Encounter Region
Ch. 4 The Isotropic Problem
Ch. 5 Analytical Expressions for Short-Term Encounters
Ch. 6 International Space Station Collision Probability
Ch. 7 Maneuvers to Mitigate Potential Collision Threats
Ch. 8 Analytical Expressions for Long-Term Encounters
Ch. 9 Short-Term vs Long-Term Spacecraft Encounters
Ch. 10 Formation Flying
Ch. 11 Maximum Probability of Collision
Ch. 12 Close Encounters with Multiple Satellites
Ch. 13 Instantaneous Probability of Collision
Ch. 14 Spherical Error Probability Computation
Ch. 15 Computer Programs
Appendix A Novel Algorithm for Computing the Sun Vector
Appendix B Enhanced Method of Computing Collision Probability
Appendix C Derivation of Density Relations
Appendix D Instantaneous Probability of Collision, Continued
Index
Supporting Materials