JMR-003E (E)GeneralSPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION STANDARD

April 27 2023
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

JMR-003E (E)This is an English translation of JMR-003E and does not constitute itself.
Whenever this document conflicts with the original document in Japanese, the original document
takes precedence.
Disclaimer
The information contained herein is for general informational purposes only. JAXA makes nowarranty, express or implied, including as to the accuracy, usefulness or timeliness of any
information herein. JAXA will not be liable for any losses relating to the use of the information.

Published by
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Safety and Mission Assurance Department
2-1-1 Sengen Tsukuba-shi,Ibaraki 305-8505, JapanJMR-003E (E)

Table of Contents
1
GENERAL...................................................................................................................................... 1
1.1
PURPOSE ................................................................................................................................. 1
1.2
SCOPE ...................................................................................................................................... 1
1.2.1
Applicability ..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2.2
Tailoring ........................................................................................................................... 2
1.3
RELATION WITH OTHER CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................. 2
2. RELATED DOCUMENTS .............................................................................................................. 2
3. DEFINITION ................................................................................................................................... 2
3.1
DEFINITION OF TERMS........................................................................................................... 2
3.2
DEFINITION OF ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 5
4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS ....................................................................................................... 6
4.1
BASIC REQUIREMENTS ......................................................................................................... 6
4.2
SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION MANAGEMENT ...................................................................... 6
4.2.1
Outline .............................................................................................................................. 6
4.2.2
Organization..................................................................................................................... 6
4.2.3
Management Plan ............................................................................................................ 7
4.3
MANAGEMENT IN EACH PAHSE OF LIFECYCLE ................................................................ 7
4.3.1
Management in Concept Study, Concept Design and Mission Definition Phases ..... 7
4.3.2
Management in Design Phases ..................................................................................... 8
4.3.3
Management in Operation Phases ................................................................................ 8
4.3.4Management in Disposal Phases .................................................................................. 8
5. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION MEASURES ... 9
5.1
MINIMIZING THE OBJECTS RELEASED DURING NORMAL OPERATIONS ...................... 9
5.1.1
Limitation of Released Components, Parts and Its Fragments ................................. 9
5.1.2
Limitation of combustion products from pyrotechnics and solid rocket motors ...... 95.2
PREVENTION OF ON-ORBIT BREAK-UPS.......................................................................... 10
5.2.1
Prevention of break-ups caused by stored energy left in retired space systems . 10
5.2.2
Prevention of break-ups during operation of space systems .................................. 11
5.2.3
Prevention of break-ups caused by a collision with on-orbit objects..................... 12
5.2.4
Prohibition of Intentional Destruction ........................................................................ 13
5.3
REMOVAL OF SPACE SYSTEMS FROM PROTECTED ORBITAL REGIONS AFTER THE
END OF MISSION................................................................................................................................ 13
5.3.1
Basic Requirements ...................................................................................................... 13
5.3.3
Disposal related to LEO region.................................................................................... 16
5.3.4
Disposal in 12-hour-period Earth orbital region ........................................................ 17
5.3.5
Disposal in lunar orbit and Mars orbit ........................................................................ 17
5.3.6 Disposal in stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point and stable Sun-Earth lagrange point 18
5.4
REQUIREMENTS FOR DISPOSAL WITH EARTH RE-ENTRY/DESCENT ......................... 18
5.4.1
Safety of the ground ..................................................................................................... 18
5.4.2
Prediction of re-entry and disclosure of related information ................................... 18
5.4.3
Prevention of contamination on the ground environmental by on-board materials 18
Attachment.......................................................................................................................................... 19
Appendix-1: Supplementary information regarding individual projects ..................................... 21

JMR-003E (E)1

GENERAL

1.1

PURPOSEThe Space Debris Mitigation Standard specifies the mitigation measures which should betaken during the planning, design and operational phases of launch vehicles andspacecraft (hereafter called space systems) in order to minimize the generation of spacedebris in Earth orbit, lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable Earth-Moon Lagrange Point, and stable
Sun-Earth Lagrange point during launch, orbital injection, on-orbit operation, and after theend of mission. And moreover, it also contributes limiting the occurrence of humancasualties due to space debris.
The following four measures are specified essentially in this standard:(1) Minimizing the number of objects released in Earth orbit during normal operation of aspace systems. The same methodology should apply to lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable
Earth-Moon Lagrange point, and stable Sun-Earth Lagrange point.
(2) Preventing the on-orbit break-up of a space system during normal operation and after
the end of its mission which could generate a large amount of debris in Earth orbit andlunar orbit.
(3) Reducing interference of a disposed space systems with low Earth orbit (LEO)
protected region and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) protected region. The same
methodology should apply to 12-hour-period Earth orbital region, lunar orbit, Mars orbit,
stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point, and stable Sun-Earth Lagrange point.
(4) Avoiding human casualties and pollution of the Earth environment made by survived
space systems which re-entered to the Earth.
Note: In response to the Artemis Accords, JMR-003E added "lunar orbit", "Mars orbit", "stable
Earth-Moon Lagrange point", and "stable Sun-Earth Lagrange" point as the regions where debris
generation should be minimized in addition to Earth orbit. The section 5 tentatively defines
requirements that are technically feasible at present.

1.2
SCOPE
1.2.1 Applicability
This standard is applied to all space systems and their components developed by JAXA
that may interfere with Earth orbit (especially LEO protected region and GEO protected
region), lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point, and stable Sun-Earth
Lagrange point. However, it could be exempted when an alternative requirement is
specified in the program, such as the ISS.
Note 1: According to ISO 24113, the debris mitigation management is applicable to Earth orbit
where is defined as "bounded and unbounded Keplerian orbits with Earth at a focal point, andLagrange point orbits which include Earth as one of the two main bodies". However, It notes that "itis not necessary to consider space objects in unbounded Keplerian orbits if their probability ofinterference with the LEO and GEO protected regions is negligible."
Note 2: For lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point, and stable Sun-Earth
Lagrange point, objects that remain in place for a long period are in the scope.

This standard is applied to both JAXA project organizations and contractor who develops aspace system. This standard intends to specify additional requirements and1

JMR-003E (E)recommendations from the perspective of space debris mitigation in addition to sufficientmeasures for mission assurance of an applied space systems.

1.2.2 Tailoring
The requirements in this standard may be tailored before being applied. The results oftailoring, however, shall be coordinated with Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA)
Department and be reviewed by JAXA Safety Review Board, if required. The results oftailoring shall be described in the Space Debris Mitigation Plan (SDMP).
The typical rationales of tailoring are as follows:(1) For space systems being in development, only feasible requirements would beapplied.
(2) Only feasible requirements are applied based on comprehensive examination such as
economical and technical feasibility, effect on reliability, benchmarking with world trend,and other conditions related to space debris mitigation measures.

1.3

RELATION WITH OTHER CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

Any conflicts between the requirements herein and those in contractual documents will becoordinated. The requirements in this standard may be exempted when identicalrequirements in other standards are already in place. The contractor shall clarify
relationships and applicability of multiple requirements in case of duplication, anddocument it in the Space Debris Mitigation Plan (SDMP) described in 4.2.3.

2.

RELATED DOCUMENTS(1) Applicable Documents
a. JERG-1-007: Safety Regulation for Launch Site Operationb. JERG-0-047: Safety standard for controlled re-entryc. JERG-2-144: Micro-debris Impact Survivability Assessment Procedured. JERG-0-001: Technical Standard For High Pressure Gas Equipment For Space Use
e. JMR-014: Planetary Protection Requirements
f. JERG-2-026: Safety Standard for ON-ORBIT Servicing Missions
g. Guidelines on License Related to Control of Spacecraft(2) Reference Documentsa. ISO-24113: Space debris mitigation requirements
b. JMR-003-HB001: Space debris mitigation design and operation manual for spacecraft
c. JMR-003-HB002: Space debris mitigation design and operation manual for launchvehicled. Space debris mitigation guidelines of COPUOS, UN Office for Outer Space Affairs,
2010
e. IADC-01-0.2, IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, (revision 2, March 2020)

3.

DEFINITION

3.1

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The definitions of terms used in this standard are given below.
(1) Spacecraft2

JMR-003E (E)A system designed to perform a series of tasks or functions in outer space, actively or
passively, excluding launch vehicle.
(2) Space system
A generic term for systems performing a mission in outer space, such as a spacecraft or alaunch vehicle.
(3) End of mission
When the designated spacecraft operation ends, or when a spacecraft or a launch vehicle
upper stage goes into disposal operation.
(4) Retrieval
Capturing a space system in space and transporting it to Earth.
(5) Preservation of the orbital environment
Preservation of the orbital environment as much as possible while actively using it.
(6) Probability of accidental break-up
Probability of all known failure modes capable of causing an accidental break-up,
excluding those from external sources such as impacts with space debris and meteoroids.
(7) Collision avoidance capability
Capability to avoid a collision with an orbital object for which an conjunction alert has been
issued. It is typically the capability to change orbits.
(8) Space debris
A non-functional object originated by human in Earth orbit, lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable
Earth-Moon Lagrange point, and stable Sun-Earth Lagrange point, including accessories
separated from space systems, fragments generated by break-ups, and space systems
that have completed their missions.
(9) Slags
Combustion residue generated during the combustion process of solid propellant anddischarged to the outside of the motor.
(10) Objects released during normal operation
Fasteners, protectors, lower fairings and other objects which are separated and released
onto the orbit according to the design during normal operation of the space system. Paint
flakes and other materials released by aging and deterioration are exempted.
(11) Disposal by the reduction of orbital lifetime
Removing a space system from orbit by descending its orbit.
(12) Disposal operation
It is a series of operations such as removal from the protected regions, break-up
prevention measures and off-the-air which are performed upon end of a spacecraft
operation in order to preserve operational orbit.
3

JMR-003E (E)(13) Probability of successful disposal
Probability to complete actions for break-up prevention and removal of a spacecraft fromprotected regions that are required at the end of mission.
(14) Disposal phase
The timeframe performing disposal operation (orbital change maneuvers, venting residual
propellants, passivation of batteries, etc.) after the end of mission.
(15) Break-ups
Phenomenon that generates space debris from a space system in orbit due to explosion,
rupture with stored energy, or a collision with other object.
Break-ups do not include separation of a part of a space system due to degradation by
aging and aerodynamic destruction upon re-entry.
Note: In this standard, the sentence "extreme break-up" is used to express a break-up event suchthat generates large amount of fragments and does not retain original shapes.

(16) Protected orbital region
A currently useful orbital region where is designated to be maintained. This includes the
LEO protected region, 12-hour-period Earth orbital region, and GEO protected region,
defined respectively as follows.
a. LEO protected region: 2,000km in altitude and lower
b. 12-hour-period Earth orbital region: Orbital region between 19,100km and 23,500km
c. GEO protected region: GEO +/- 200km within +/- 15 deg inclination(17) Meteoroid
Naturally-derived objects that exist in the universe. It originates mainly from asteroids or
comets.
(18) Effective life
The period while an item can be used effectively (useful life). That is, the period between
the beginning of use and the time when an item is no longer functional or reliable due tosignificant failure rate.
(19) Natural decay
The fall of orbital objects toward the Earth without application of intentional force. It isdistinguished from intentional reduction of orbital lifetime by decelerating the object, andcontrolled re-entry, in which the fall time and fragments dispersion area are controlled.
(20) Ground casualty risk
Scale indicating risk on the ground of the Earth upon impact of surviving re-entered objects
from outer space. There are evaluating indexes such as casualty area calculated from the
projected area of impacting object with consideration of standing human envelope. And
total number of persons to be injured by an event calculated with casualty area, hereafter
called “expected number of casualties”. The equations for casualty area and expected
number of casualties are defined in the Attachment.
4

JMR-003E (E)(21) Launch Vehicles
Launch Vehicles for launching a spacecraft. The upper stage left in Earth orbit after launchis called orbital stage.

3.2

DEFINITION OF ABBREVIATIONS

The definition of the abbreviations used in this standard is given below.
(1) GEO: Geostationary Earth Orbit(2) GTO: Geostationary Transfer Orbit(3) LEO: Low-Earth Orbit

5

JMR-003E (E)4.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Project organizations and contractors shall plan and conduct effective measures tominimize space debris generation in planning and executing the development andoperation of space systems, as coordinated with JAXA.
The associated activities shall include the followings:(1) Considerations for space debris mitigation measures in studying the development
plans of comprehensive systems including space systems and related groundsystems.
(2) Efforts to minimize the generation of debris in the design and manufacturing phasesof space systems.
(3) Efforts to minimize the generation of debris during the launch and orbital injection of
space systems.
(4) Efforts to minimize the generation of debris during the orbital operation phase and thedisposal phase on mission completion.
(5) Efforts to minimize the generation of debris, even in the event of failures during theon-orbit operation phase.
(6) Establishment and improvement of the management system to reflect the efforts
requested by the above paragraphs (1) through (5) to respective development andoperation phases.

4.2
SPACE DEBRIS MITIGATION MANAGEMENT
4.2.1 Outline
Responsible organization for each step in development and operations by JAXA, hereafter
called “Project organizations,” and contractors shall properly plan and perform spacedebris mitigation measures effectively through design and operation phases, then manage
these outcomes under predefined organizational control for review.

4.2.2 Organization
4.2.2.1 Organization for the space debris mitigation management
Project organizations and contractors shall establish a responsible organization in order toproperly study, plan, and implement each space debris mitigation measure required in thisstandard. Assigned organization or individuals shall be with authority and resources toaccomplish their responsibilities and shall report the status of their progress to the project
managers.
4.2.2.2 Organization for the spacecraft operation management
The project organization shall perform an operation management with an appropriateorganizational structure and work allocation. Operation management includes proprietary
information and communication management, personnel management (personnel training,
work management, etc.), spacecraft safety and availability management, and information
security management, in addition to various managements necessary for mission
execution.

6

JMR-003E (E)4.2.3 Management Plan
4.2.3.1 Space Debris Mitigation Plan (SDMP)
The Project organization shall develop and document a feasible Space Debris Mitigation
Plan (SDMP) as coordinated with S&MA Department. The plan will be subjected to thereview by JAXA Safety Review Board, if required.
Contractors shall draft their SDMP that include contents (1) through (4) based on SDMP
presented by JAXA, then have approval from JAXA.
(1) The responsibilities and functions of the organizations regarding planning, evaluation,
review and implementation of space debris mitigation measures against every causeof space debris generation listed in this standard(2) The description and rationale for tailoring, if any.
(3) Description of work and schedule of mitigation activity against each cause of spacedebris generation.
(4) List of documents which will be prepared to satisfy the requirements of this standard,
and other related documents including applicable documents.
4.2.3.2 Spacecraft Operation Management Plan (SOMP)
The project organization shall document plans necessary for managing the spacecraft
operations. SOMP shall include descriptions and charts about organizations related to thefollowing subjects required by Section 6.3.4 of the "Guidelines on License Related toControl of Spacecraft" (Cabinet Office).
a. Spacecraft operationb. Emergency response
c. Information security

4.3

MANAGEMENT IN EACH PAHSE OF LIFECYCLE

In the development of space systems, preservation of the orbital environment shall beconsidered in the system concept as important factor from the beginning of project
lifecycle, then it shall be realized in each development phase. For this reason, a formal
review shall be conducted in each phase, with submittal of sufficient support data such as
analysis conditions. It is also required to define “disposal phase” at the last part of project
lifecycle, and adopt measures to minimize negative effect on the orbital environment.

4.3.1 Management in Concept Study, Concept Design and Mission
Definition Phases
In developing space systems, it is necessary to study the system concepts, systemarchitecture, mission, launching methods, operation orbit, the way of operation, and theway of disposal so as to capture the purpose in the section 1.1 and space debris mitigation
measures required in section 5 shall be taken into consideration. The adequate safety,
reliability and quality program shall be planned under the understanding that failure of thespace system would cause not only the loss of mission of itself but also deteriorate theorbital environment. The mission objectives shall be considered so as not to adversely
affect the orbital environment and other operational space systems upon defining themission requirements.

7

JMR-003E (E)4.3.2 Management in Design Phases
Space systems shall be designed to minimize space debris generation during normal
operation, and to minimize possibility of themselves to become a space debris. It is
required to confirm compliance to design requirements associated with space debris
mitigation by the critical design review.

4.3.3 Management in Operation Phases
Checkout operation, normal operation and extended operation (refer to the next section for
disposal phase) shall be conducted with consideration for space debris mitigation. The
following practices shall be taken.
(1) The spacecraft developer shall inform operator organizations with the relevant criteria
and design parameters on the spacecraft such as propellant-measurement-accuracy,
propellant-loading-capacity, re-orbiting procedures as a part of data in the operation
documents upon spacecraft handover.
(2) The appropriate flight path and relevant events shall be taken into account for thelaunch vehicle flight trajectory so as to accomplish the disposal of orbital stage(including venting of the residual propellants, orbital change maneuvers, etc.).
(3) Residual propellants shall be confirmed during operation and the decision for mission
termination shall be made while necessary amount of the propellants to achieve there-orbit operation can be guaranteed.
The amount of residual propellants shall be evaluated using the estimation
procedure transferred as part of design information with careful observation of thespacecraft conditions.

4.3.4 Management in Disposal Phases
Upon disposal it is required to perform space debris mitigation measures such as removalof spacecraft from the protected regions, removal of residual energy and so on.

8

JMR-003E (E)5.
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SPACEDEBRIS MITIGATION MEASURES
5.1
MINIMIZING THE OBJECTS RELEASED DURING NORMAL
OPERATIONS
5.1.1 Limitation of Released Components, Parts and Its Fragments(1) As a general rule, the total number of launch vehicle-related objects (launch vehicle
orbital stages and other payload support structures, etc.) left in Earth orbit shall be one
or less in case of a single payload launch and two or less in case of multiple payload
launch.
(2) Spacecraft shall be designed not to release parts such as fasteners, kick engine that
could possibly stay in Earth orbit, unless either serious technical or economical
problem would result. For lunar orbit, Mars orbit, stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point,and stable Sun-Earth Lagrange point, it is recommended to adopt the same design
constraints as long as mission requirements and cost allow.
(3) For the mission which intentionally separates / releases objects (tether mission,
separation of a child spacecraft from its parent spacecraft, etc.), the risk of collision(e.g., a degree of interference) with other spacecraft including inhabitable spacesystems shall be evaluated based on characteristics of the released object such as thearea/mass ratio, orbital lifetime, direction, and velocity. There should be means andconditions to avoid serious situation induced upon separation / release. Separated andreleased objects shall be disposed of in a manner consistent with Section 5.3. For
tethers, it is recommended to adopt robust structure like multi-strand tethers thatcannot be easily broken by debris/meteoroids impact, and recommended to retract
them after use to reduce the risk of collision.
Note: This requirement is also applicable to the case that equipment is partially separated/released from the spacecraft.

5.1.2 Limitation of combustion products from pyrotechnics and solid
rocket motors(1) Pyrotechnic devices, except for solid rocket motors, shall be designed and used so as
not to release combustion products and fragments larger than 1 mm in their largest
dimension into Earth orbit.
(2) Solid rocket motors shall be designed and operated so as not to release slag sized 1
mm or larger into GEO protected region and LEO protected region.
Note 1: The main aim of this requirement is to limit the generation of slag debris ejected into GEO
protected region and LEO protected region during the final phase of combustion. Slag debris ispotentially hazardous to space operations due to its size, number and orbital lifetime. This isparticularly the case when slag debris is ejected into a high orbital region where it can pose an
impact risk for a long period of time.
Note 2: In the case SRM slag larger than 1mm could be ejected to LEO protected region even withthe current best practices, a detailed evaluation shall be made to determine if the risk likecumulative collision probability against other space objects is acceptable.

9

JMR-003E (E)Note 3: In case there are potential interference with GEO protected region by the object in atransfer orbit toward lunar, planetary, and other long elliptical orbit missions, the compliance will be
evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

5.2

PREVENTION OF ON-ORBIT BREAK-UPS

The following on-orbit break-ups shall be prevented.
(1) Break-ups caused by stored energy left in retired space systems(2) Break-ups caused by stored energy during operation(3) Extreme break-ups caused by a collision with on-orbit objects during operation(4) Intentional destruction

5.2.1 Prevention of break-ups caused by stored energy left in retired
space systems
In order to prevent break-ups of retired space systems and subsequent generation of
space debris in Earth orbit and lunar orbit, space systems shall be designed towardeliminating accidental break-ups to the reasonable extent, and the causes of accidental
break-ups shall be removed as much as possible, immediately after the final disposal
maneuver or before the retrieval. If the planned re-entry cannot be carried out, the residualenergy shall be vent at an appropriate time.
The following measures shall be followed.
(1) Measures for residual liquid propellants and high pressure fluids
Liquid propellants and high pressure fluids left in the retiring space systems shall be usedor vent while re-orbiting maneuvers so as not to be a potential cause of break-ups.
Otherwise the analysis shall verify that residual fluids will not cause break-ups.
The following measures shall be incorporated in design.
(a) For the bi-propellant propulsion system, especially with the hypergolic propellants,
tanks and lines should be designed to prevent unintentional mixing propellants andcombustion even after a failure on a piece of parts. The use of hypergolic propellants
and oxidizers in the common bulkhead tanks should be avoided because there aremany explosions supposed to be induced by mixing two propellants through fatigue
bulkhead. In case the common bulkhead tank has to be used, it is necessary tostrengthen isolation between two propellants and prove no buckling with expectedback pressure per "Technical Standard For High Pressure Gas Equipment For Space
Use(JERG-0-001)," and employ vent sequence preventing reversed pressure during
disposal operation.
(b) Residual propellants in the tanks and lines should be vent after the end of re-orbiting
maneuvers. If simultaneous venting for bi-propellant propulsion system is not feasible,
the propellant with higher self-reactivity should be preferentially vented.
(c) If the venting is not feasible, there should be enough safety margins for break-ups
even with possible heating, otherwise pressure limiting functions should beincorporated in design.
(d) Vent lines should be designed so that freezing does not prevent venting.

10

JMR-003E (E)(2) Measures to prevent break-up of batteries
Batteries shall be adequately designed and manufactured, both electrically andmechanically not to cause neither excessive pressure increasing nor structural fracture.
At the end of operations battery charging lines shall be de-activated. If feasible, a battery
should have pressure limiting functions to prevent rupture and subsequent damage on a
space system.
(3) Flight termination system
Pyrotechnic devices shall have enough margins for spontaneous ignition temperature
which considers temperature increasing by solar heating and so on. The commandreceivers shall be deactivated to eliminate accidental fire, immediately after the flighttermination function completed its duty.
(4) Heat pipes, etc.
Sealed pressure systems shall be designed with a sufficient safety margin against rupture
with possible heating condition during orbital lifetime.
(5) Rotating equipment
Rotating equipment such as wheels shall be stopped after the end of operations.

5.2.2 Prevention of break-ups during operation of space systems
5.2.2.1 Certainty of design
It should be confirmed in the space system design review that adequate reliability andquality control have been conducted to prevent failures that may lead to break-up events
during operation in Earth orbit and lunar orbit. In general, the probability of accidental
break-up of a space system shall be 0.001 or less.
5.2.2.2 Monitoring of a spacecraft during operation
For the operation control of spacecraft, the procedures shall document monitoring of
malfunctions on propulsion system, batteries, attitude control system, and other function
which could lead to the massive generation of space debris when it failed, and properorganizations shall be maintained during operation so that immediate reaction can betaken upon malfunctions. At least the following status shall be monitored from the ground.
(1) Tank pressure and associated temperature to evaluate remaining propellants.
(2) Parameters (temperature and voltage and so on) to detect battery failures.
(3) Parameters to detect attitude control system failure.
5.2.2.3 Space Debris Mitigation Measures in Case of Malfunction
When the malfunctions on the operating spacecraft could lead to a break-up, or a loss of
mission essential function, feasible space debris mitigation measures such as removal ofresidual energy sources, reduction of orbital lifetime, or re-orbiting from protected orbital
regions) shall be assessed and executed unless a spacecraft may recover. However,re-orbiting operation shall not be conducted if it should create a subsequent break-up.

11

JMR-003E (E)5.2.3 Prevention of break-ups caused by a collision with on-orbit
objects
5.2.3.1 Selection of operation orbit
GEO spacecraft operations shall always be planned to maintain sufficient relative distanceto avoid collisions and resultant break-ups. Operations orbit of spacecrafts on othercircular Earth orbit shall always be planned to mitigate the risk of conjunction and collision
with other spacecraft operating at the same altitude. In case that rendezvous, docking or
related joint missions are planned, "Safety Standard for On-Orbit Servicing Missions(JERG-2-026)" will be applied.
5.2.3.2 Collision avoidance against trackable space objects
Spacecraft with collision avoidance capability shall perform collision avoidance operation if
the risk of collision is not acceptable based on the conjunction assessments throughmission operation until disposal as long as possible. For proper collision avoidance, it ishighly recommended to cooperate with an entity which is capable to provide sufficientconjunction monitoring.
Note: The launch time needs to be coordinated per the dedicated standards so that launch vehicle,
spacecraft and other separated objects will not collide to the inhabitable space systems in orbit.

5.2.3.3 Collision avoidance capability
A spacecraft operated in GEO protected region shall be capable to avoid collisions. In
general, a spacecraft should be capable to avoid collisions as much as possible.
5.2.3.4 Enhance trackability from the ground
Improving orbital determination by enhancing trackability from the ground makes
conjunction analysis and collision avoidance more efficient. Therefore, it is recommended
to add optical or radio wave reflectors/transmitters on the spacecraft which could be lesstrackability during or after the mission.
5.2.3.5 Probability of extreme break-up by space debris or meteoroid impact(1) In order to determine mission orbit, spacecraft size, weight, number and so on in early
development phase (e.g. conceptual design phase), probability of extreme break-up
shall be evaluated taking into account for space debris or meteoroid impact to thespacecraft main body and major components (e.g. a service module, a payload module,
SAP, Large antennas, etc.).
Note 1: It is not necessary for a spacecraft with a collision avoidance capability to assess thecollision probability with the trackable debris which may cause an extreme break-up upon impact.
Note 2: The spacecrafts weighted no more than 100kg, or operating in GEO are not mandated to
calculate collision probability with other space objects. However, it is still needed to evaluate
collision probability for missions with severe consequence by break-up, such as satellite
constellations.

(2) Location and protection design of high-pressure vessels and propellant tanks shall take
into account for probability of extreme break-up by space debris or meteoroid impact.

12

JMR-003E (E)5.2.4 Prohibition of Intentional Destruction
Intentional destruction of a space system in orbit shall not be conducted.

5.3
REMOVAL OF SPACE SYSTEMS FROM PROTECTED ORBITALREGIONS AFTER THE END OF MISSION
5.3.1 Basic Requirements
The retired space system shall avoid interference with the LEO/GEO protected regions
and minimize the risk of break-up according to Section 5.2.1. The probability of successful
disposal is 0.9 or higher as a target value. It is assumed that this value could bedemonstrated by complying with the requirements in Sections 5.3.1.1 through 5.3.4.
5.3.1.1 Requirements in design phase
5.3.1.1.1 Preparation of decision making procedures for mission termination /extension
Decision making procedures shall be prepared for mission termination / extension of aspacecraft in order to achieve successful post mission disposal.
5.3.1.1.2 Preparation of disposal work plan
Disposal work plan shall be documented to specify the implementation plan for satisfying
requirements in this standard, such as re-orbit procedure and passivations upon mission
termination.
Note 1: Disposal work plan should include the information on sequences for re-orbiting out ofprotected regions, passivation and other tasks until off-the-air or the last command for controlled
re-entry.
Note 2: Information on disposal sequence for launch vehicles is documented in the flight plan.

5.3.1.1.3 Disposal functions in design
A spacecraft shall be designed to have functions to perform disposal operation.
Note: Disposal functions are to perform passivation defined in section 5.2.1, in addition to re-orbit
from protected regions defined in section 5.3.2 and 5.3.3.

5.3.1.1.4 Resources for disposal maneuvers
Resources for disposal maneuvers shall be secured as follows:(1) Propellants for re-orbit
The sufficient amount of propellants shall be taken into account for design of thespacecraft so as to perform planned re-orbit. Sufficient amount of margin shall beconsidered to include prediction error of solar activity derived from different launch dateand other conditions, performance error of propulsion system and measurement errors.
Note: Prediction of the orbital lifetime for a high elliptical orbit contains a large error due toinfluence of solar radiation pressure and attractive forces of the sun and the moon. If it is not
feasible to reserve propellant for disposal to fulfill the worst error assumption, a target probability toachieve re-orbit satisfying 25 years or less orbital lifetime will be defined, then propellant shall be

13

JMR-003E (E)allocated to satisfy that value. This target probability is independent from the probability ofsuccessful disposal.

(2) Electric energy for re-orbit in case of electric propulsion system
When using an electric propulsion system, electric energy shall be managed to support
re-orbit.
(3) Design of the measurement and monitoring systems for on-board propellant
A spacecraft shall equip with propellant measurement and monitoring systems which allow
to measure the amount of on-board propellants in real-time to support prompt
determination for timeline toward the end of the mission. Especially for GEO spacecraft,
this measurement and monitoring systems shall support appropriate precision analysis toensure the re-orbiting delta-V.
5.3.1.1.5 Reliability of disposal functions
The reliability of the disposal function at the end of the disposal operation after the planned
operation period shall be evaluated by the method defined in relation to the reliability
evaluation based on JMR-004 “Reliability Program Standard.”
Note 1: The planned operation period is generally equivalent to certified design life.
Note 2: Reliability at the end of operation period is also acceptable if the duration of disposal
operation is short enough and negligible for calculation.
Note 3: Evaluation for the launch vehicle disposal is the part of mission reliability evaluation basedon JMR-004 "Reliability Program Standard".

5.3.1.1.6 Remaining life management for items used for disposal operation(1) Management of operating life
Operating life shall be determined for life limited items used for disposal operation, andthere shall be sufficient margins for the mission duration defined in specifications. If theoperation period may be extended, the margin shall also consider additional operation timeand cycles for the extended period. In addition, items that require logging operating timeand cycles for evaluation of residual life and mission extension/termination shall beidentified, then procedures to manage operating life shall be prepared.
(2) Management of aging deterioration
The life limitation shall be determined for items that will deteriorate by aging and could
affect the successful disposal of a spacecraft. If the operation period may be extended, thelife margin shall properly take into consideration the extended period.
5.3.1.1.7 Plan of health status check for equipments and anomaly response
Health status subjected to periodical check shall be identified for equipments used forspacecraft disposal. The procedure for checking health status for those equipments shalldefine monitoring parameters and means to measure. Normal range shall be specified foreach monitoring parameter and the procedure shall define response action in case aparameter goes out of normal range.
5.3.1.1.8 Effect of space debris impact and protection design
14

JMR-003E (E)Probability of the loss of disposal functions shall be calculated against impacts by spacedebris and meteoroid. Critical components and cables shall be in the calculation thenprotection measures, redundancy and layout change should be considered if the risk is
unacceptable. The acceptable criteria shall be defined for each mission taking into accountfor the technical maturity of collision risk calculation and protection methods. Refer to"Micro-debris Impact Survivability Assessment Procedure (JERG-2-144)" about thecollision risk calculation and protection design.
5.3.1.2 Measures during spacecraft operations
5.3.1.2.1 Management of the remaining life of life limited items used for disposal
operation
Remaining life of each life limited item shall be logged and reevaluated per Section
5.3.1.1.6.
5.3.1.2.2 Management of resources for disposal maneuvers
The amount of residual propellant and pressurant shall be periodically monitored andmission operation shall be terminated prior to their depletion. When an electric propulsion
system is also used for disposal, the electrical energy shall be managed in addition topropellant. The necessary amount of resources shall be updated in timely manner, taking
into consideration for operating history such as change in solar activities and equipment
deterioration.
5.3.1.2.3 Health status check for equipments and anomaly response
Health status of equipments defined in section 5.3.1.1.7 shall be monitored and evaluated,then those equipments shall be appropriately managed including proper response foranomaly.
5.3.1.2.4 Decision making for mission termination/extension
Spacecraft operation shall be properly terminated considering the importance to complete
disposal operation. When extending operation beyond planned period, the following items
shall be confirmed, in addition to all items in Sections 5.3.1.2.1 to 5.3.1.2.3 as suggested
in the decision making procedure.
(1) The corrective action for failures shall still be valid for further operation.
(2) Propellant and electrical energy shall be reserved for updated disposal plan based onchanged disposal schedule.
(3) Mission extension shall be allowed within life limit.
(4) There shall be no concern on a single failure point. In particular, when a single failure
point is the result of a failure of redundant system, possible common cause shall beassessed with the estimated root cause and the detail status of the active string.
(5) If there is a configuration change during operation that affects the reliability of thedisposal function, the reliability of the disposal function at the end of the disposal
operation or at the time of the next operation extension decision shall be evaluatedstarting from the time of the operation extension decision.
In addition, the added operation period and the time interval for reevaluation shall be set.
The same evaluation is iterated for further extension.
15

JMR-003E (E)5.3.1.3 Confirmation and execution of disposal plan
Disposal work plan shall be carried out with the following remarks in consideration.
Disposal work plan shall be carried out with the following remarks in consideration.
(1) The targeted orbit is determined based on the latest solar activity.
(2) The disposal orbit is determined with consideration of the trajectory fluctuation due toventing of residual fluid after the disposal maneuver.
(3) Communication and commandings are available while disposal operations. The proper
arrangement will be in place with other space agencies in case additional stations areneeded.
5.3.2 Disposal in GEO region(1) Space systems that terminate their missions near GEO shall be re-orbited to the orbit
where fulfill at least one of the following conditions in order to avoid collision with otherspacecrafts in GEOa) The initial eccentricity after re-orbit is less than 0.003. the minimum perigee altitudedelta-H (km) above GEO is calculated by the following equation.
delta-H = 235 + 1000 × CR × A / m [km]Where:
CR: Solar radiation coefficient
A: Effective sectional area of the spacecraft (m2)
(25% of total surface area)
m: Mass of the spacecraft (kg)b) The perigee altitude after disposal is sufficiently higher than GEO, and no interferencewith GEO protected region within 100 years, even accounting long-term perturbation.
(2) Space systems passing through near-GEO, such as GTO missions, shall be planned
its apogee altitude to be away from 200km lower than GEO for at least 100 years.
(3) A spacecraft in Inclined geosynchronous orbit (IGSO) is disposed per Section 5.3.2(1)in general, but it can also be disposed to the orbit inducing re-entry to Earth by proper
arrangement of orbit inclination, eccentricity, and Right Ascension of Ascending Node. In
this case, the cumulative interference period in GEO protected region and LEO
protected region shall be within acceptable limits.

5.3.3 Disposal related to LEO region
For the space systems passing through LEO, orbital lifetime after the end of mission shallbe minimized as far as possible. The orbital lifetime and the expected number of casualties
in the case of natural decay shall be evaluated, and one or more of the following measures(1) through (5) shall be taken while considering the ground safety requirements in Section
5.4. The orbital lifetime shall be calculated considering the perturbation effect caused byattractive force of the moon and the sun, periodic change of the solar activity, and the solar
radiation pressure.

16

JMR-003E (E)Note: Estimation of orbital lifetime for the high elliptical orbit takes into account for the effects
shown in the note in Section 5.3.1.1.4 (1).
Note: Selection of measure (1) through (5) depends on technical and/or economic feasibility.

In case of measure (3) through (5), the time count begins at one of the following a throughc for ensuring 25 years or less.
a. at the end of mission epoch, for space systems with collision avoidance capability.
b. at the orbit injection epoch, for space systems that do not have collision avoidance
capability.
c. at the epoch when it is predicted that they will start interfering with the protected area,
for space systems that terminate operation above the LEO protected region and thendescend and interfere with the protected region.
(1) Retrieval
Capture space systems in space and transport them to Earth. No object shall be released
during retrieval operation.
(2) Controlled re-entry
Re-entry with controlled fashion so as to guarantee the ground safety.
(3) Natural decay
In case the orbital lifetime could naturally be within 25 years by atmospheric drag, thespace systems may be left in their operational orbit. Note that the ground risk upon
re-entry shall be mitigated in accordance with requirements in 5.4.
(4) Reduction of orbital lifetime
Spacecrafts shall be disposed to an altitude with orbital lifetime no more than 25 years.
Note that the ground risk upon re-entry shall be mitigated in accordance with requirements
in 5.4.
(5) Reduction of orbital lifetime by deployment devices and tethers
A deployment device shall shorten orbital lifetime of a retired spacecraft to be within 25
years or less. There shall be an assessment on pros and cons for adopting deployment
devices, then the contribution to risk reduction such as a lesser cumulative collision
probability in orbit shall be clearly estimated.

5.3.4 Disposal in 12-hour-period Earth orbital region
Space systems operated in 12-hour-period Earth orbital region shall be disposed out of theoperating region.

5.3.5 Disposal in lunar orbit and Mars orbit
Space systems operating in lunar orbit, Mars orbit shall be disposed in accordance with
JMR-014 "Planetary Protection Requirements".

17

JMR-003E (E)5.3.6 Disposal in stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point and stable
Sun-Earth lagrange point
It is recommended that space systems operating at stable Earth-Moon Lagrange point andstable Sun-Earth Lagrange point be disposed not to interfere with these areas.

5.4
REQUIREMENTSFOR
RE-ENTRY/DESCENT
5.4.1 Safety of the ground

DISPOSAL

WITH

EARTH

The following requirements shall be met for safety of the ground when space systems aredisposed by natural re-entry fashion in LEO. (Spacecraft, etc. returning to the Earth fromplanets, etc. shall also comply with JMR-014 "Planetary Protection Requirements".)(1) Risk, i.e. Expected number of casualties (Ec), induced by the ground impact in Earthwith surviving objects shall be estimated prior to the launch of the spacecraft. The Ec ofspacecraft or launch vehicle shall be less than 1 x 10-4.
Note 1: When a space system does not satisfy this requirement, feasible practices have to be
adopted for acceptable Ec.
Note 2: Adoption of design-for demise approach will lead to reduction the Ec.
Note 3: As for like active debris removal, total Ec with multiple objects upon re-entry shall meet theabove criteria if they are combined to a single system. This is not the case when multiple objects
are not combined upon re-entry.
Note 4: For a spacecraft which is disintegrated to multiple parts upon reentry, total Ec with all
related parts shall meet the above criteria.

(2) If the Ec of spacecraft or launch vehicle exceeds 1 x 10 -4, controlled re-entry shall be
conducted in accordance with JERG-0-047, "Safety Standard for Controlled Re-entry".

5.4.2 Prediction of re-entry and disclosure of related information
JAXA assesses available trajectory information of own space systems using available
analysis technique, then predicts re-entry trajectory, day and time. This information isdisclosed in appropriate ways.

5.4.3 Prevention of contamination on the ground environmental by
on-board materials
If a space system will be re-entered to the earth upon disposal, radioactive substances,
toxic substances or any other environmental pollutants shall not be left in surviving
fragments, or those effects shall be permissible.

18

JMR-003E (E)Attachment
1. Casualty area
Casualty area (Ac) is defined based on the projected area of an impacting object and ahuman surface projection pseudo circle (0.36 m2). This is the area around the projectedarea of the impacting object plus the area of the radius (33.8 cm) of the human surface
projection pseudo circle.
The formulas when the impacting object is a sphere and a polygon are shown below.

(1) In case of a sphere
From the projected area (As) of Impacting object with radius rh and the area of the humansurface projection pseudo circle.
Ac =π(r + rh)2= π{( As/π)0.5+ (0.36/π)0.5}2= (As0.5 + 0.6)2＋=(2) In case of a polygon
Ac = (projected area of Impacting object) + (perimeter of impacting object x rh)+ (the area of the human surface projection pseudo circle)

19

JMR-003E (E)2. Expected Number of Casualties
Following is an equation for the expected number of casualties (Ec)
Summation should be done within the range of inclination.
Ec = Ac ∑ i=inclination(Pi Ni / Ai)
Where,
Ec = Expected number of casualties [number of people]
Ac = Casualty area [m2]Pi = probability of impact in the i-th latitude band [-]Ni = Number of population in the i-th latitude band [number of people]
Ai = Area of the i-th latitude band [m2]20

JMR-003E (E)Appendix-1: Supplementary information regarding individual
projects(1) Exception for the space science projects
While awaiting the new technology to eliminate harmful slag debris ejected from a solid
rocket motor, the requirement regarding limitation of slag debris into LEO protected region
defined in section 5.1.2 is exempted for the space science projects. This exception is valid
through the end of the space science projects which are initiated during the 4th mid-longterm objectives period. The applicability of this exemption in the next mid-long term
objectives period will be decided separately.

21