Developing a suite of ontologies for the space domain, with a non-exclusive focus on astronautics.
- Description currently at https://ontospace.wordpress.com/
- GitPage
- Independently pursued by author since inception in 2011. As a personal project that is presently unfunded, formal support is needed to develop the models and realize the vision. Please contact to help.
- See the CONTRIBUTING page for details about the needs of the project, as well as the Suppport section below.
- In-progress, subject-to-revision.
This in-progress project consists of developing a living domain reference model (or a knowledge model) in the form of an suite of ontologies (& other knowledge-organization systems) for astronautics (spaceflight), the space environemnt (and thus astronomy), space situational awareness (SSA), space domain awareness, and space traffic coordination/management (STC/M) here collectively called the 'orbital space domain', 'space domain', or 'astronautical domain'. The ontologies aim to provide formal representaitons of phenomena such as orbits, orbital knowledge, spacecraft, orbital debris, spacecraft maneuvers, orbital events, observational and other SSA data, spaceflight missions (and their space systems, ground systems, phases, objectives, etc.), as well as space traffic management and space policy concepts. The representaitons will take the form of the ontology vocabulary and its formal semantics, including any logical formalizations, computable implementations, and annotations. The listed, and related, domain entities will be grouped into modular ontologies the whole of which may be merged into a single master ontology file, or master model. Together this is intended to form a unified knowledge model of the target universe of discourse, providing a semantic layer for data, and providing knowledge representation, metadata elements, vocabularies, and ontologies for astronautics and SSA. The ontology voacbulary may also be used in less complex systems and applications such as taxonomies, glossaries, , etc.
- To support safe spaceflight and space situational awareness, and other space communities (e.g. astronomy)
- To provide a set of modular, re-usable, neutral, but dynamic ontologies for astronautics and related discplines
- To form a unified knowlege model of the target domain
- To offer accurate formal representations of the target objects and domain knowledge
- To offer a set of vocabularies, taxonomies, metadata schemas, and classificaitons that are comprehensible, accurate and widely-applicable
(in-progress. subject to revision, merger, etc.)
The ontologies in the project vision are conceived as part of a modular architecture: they will be usable as stand-alone models, but also as part of the integrated whole. Some or all may compose a single master ontology that I call The Orbital Space Onology (OSO) or alternatively The Space Domain Ontology. There are various synonymous names that may be given to this ontology suite, depending on scoping, such as: 'Astronautical Ontology Suite', 'Orbital Space Domain Ontology' (OSDO), and 'Orbital Space Environment Domain Ontology' (OSEDO). Each modular ontology can be used for a specific purpose, application, or organizational office, e.g. NASA's Orbital Debris Program Office may use The Orbital Debris Ontology. All content is subject to revision. If interested, contact the author.
- ODO - The Orbital Debris Ontology An ontology representing orbital debris objects, and related things. https://purl.org/space-ontology/odo
- SSAO - The Space Situational Awareness Ontology An ontology for SSA processes, data, actors, and infrastructure, which yield actionable knowledge of orbital space environment. https://purl.org/space-ontology/ssao
- OO - The Orbital Ontology Core (the "Orbitology Ontology") A general-purpose ontology for (i) fundamental orbital concepts, (ii) representing the orbits of any satellite, (iii) providing a common orbital terminology for other ontologies. This is a base ontology consisting of generic but domain-specific classes for orbital entities for space domain ontologies.
- The Celestial Orbit Type Ontology (the Gravitaitonal/Astronomical Orbit Type Ontology) An ontology of orbit categories. An orbit type taxonomy with features unique to each.
- OEO - Orbital Event & Process Ontology (the Orbital Activity Ontology) An ontology of occurrences in orbit, e.g. collisions.
- OOO - Orbital Object Ontology An ontology of objects in orbital motion about some central body or barycenter.
- Space Mission Ontology An ontology of generic Space mission design concepts.
- NESEO - THe Near-Earth Space Environment Ontology An ontology specifically for the near-Earth environment. This can be an ontological model of instance data, whereas OSO and the SSAO capture universal concepts.
- AMO - The Astrodynamics Modeling Ontology An ontology of the astrodynamic models for objects in orbits.
- SWO - Space Weather Ontology An ontology of space weather phenomena as contrasted with space artefacs such as artificial orbital debris. SWO classes may be found in existing astronomy ontologies(TBD)
- OSO/OSDO/OSEDO - The Orbital Space Ontology / Orbital Space Domain Ontology / Orbital Space Environment Domain Ontology The broadest scope encompassing and consisting of the following ontologies. A generic formal represenation for the orbital space about any central body or astronomical reference frame.
- UCSSO - The Union of Concerned Scientists Satellite Ontology A case-study demonstration of building an ontology for a specific database. This is an ontology for UCS Satellite Database, not intended for any other (but intended to show that the SSAO or the OSO can be used for any database). https://purl.org/space-ontology/ucsso
- STMO - The Space Traffic Management Ontology (Space Traffic Coordination Ontology) An ontology of STM concepts, to include organization, coordination and other activities for traffic in the orbital space environment.
- Papers and presentaitons are availble for purchasing at this page
- Ontologies are available AS IS by formal arrangement with the author. However, as a personal project, funding/sponsorship and work collaborations are needed and desired to sustain, continue and complete development of the models.
- Contact or purchase use of an ontology here.
The project needs financial, educational, technical, and human resources support, including a stable and protected development environment. Open to formal work collaborations & partners. Please contact if you can help. Schedule a work partnership discussion Here
- See the CONTRIBUTING page for details about the needs of the project.
- Financial support: Patrons, sponsors and stable funding sources desired. If you find value in this project, please Donate Here or Here. Or click the pink heart 'Sponsor' button at the top of the page.
- Employment support: employers who would like to hire me for this project or similar work should contact me.
- Educational support: I am interested in finding a PhD study opportunity with this as my phd project/thesis. Professors should contact
- Technical support: Need subject-matter experts in relevant disciplines These opportunities are needed for the author to continue development in a sustainable, protected, mentored, and learning environment. *
- Mentors, and a team environment
- Co-authors to complete and write papers (many papers on the shelf)
- Grants (e.g., with NASA, ESA, EU, etc.)
- A visualization of the solar system application by NASA employee.
Robert J. Rovetto, B.A., M.A. - Concept Engineer & Space Ontologist/Knowledge Modeler. Contact: https://ontospace.wordpress.com/contact
- Metadata | Knowledge representation | Formmal ontology | Semantic modeling | Conceptual Modeling | Terminology | Model-based systems engineering | Philosophy.
- National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) Datanauts, class of 2017
Visit this publication page. To date the project has approximately 17 relevant written works (concept articles, grant proposals, etc.) and presentations in conferences, journals, and presented to agencies. Selected articles include the following. Contact me to co-author on in-progress or unpublished on-the-shelf papers.
- [1] “An Ontological Architecture for Orbital Debris Data”, Rovetto, R.J. (Aug 6 2015) Earth Science Informatics, 9(1), 67-82 (submitted 2014). Springer. DOI: 10.1007/s12145-015-0233-3
- [2] “Preliminaries of a Space Situational Awareness Ontology”, with T.S. Kelso. In Advances in Astronautical Sciences, Univelt. Presented at 26th AIAA/AAS Space Flight Mechanics meeting, Napa, CA, USA Feb 14-18th, 2016.
- [3] "The Orbital Space Environment and Space Situational Awareness Domain Ontology – Towards an International Information System for Space Data", Rovetto, The Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS) 2016, (Paper, and Poster presentation)
- [6] "Orbital Debris Ontology" (PPT presentation), presented at Center for Orbital Debris Education and Research (CODER), University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA, 15-17 November 2016. Panel URL
- [7] "An Ontology for Satellite Databases", Rovetto. Earth Science Informatics, April 2017. DOI:10.1007/s12145-017-0290-x
- [8] "Orbital Debris Ontology,Terminology, and Knowledge Modeling"", R.J.Rovetto, T.S. Kelso, and Daniel A. O’Neil, December 2019, First International Orbital Debris Conference, Texas USA. In "NASA NTRS server. And in "Journal of Space Safety Engineering (2020)
- "An Ontology-based Virtual Orrery", with Dr.Daniel O'Neil (NASA MSFC), NASA Technical Memorandum (2020)
This has been a pursuit since 2011 when I thought of applying ontology to the orbital debris domain to help ameliorate the debris hazard via ontology-based data-sharing and integration (documented proof & references available upon request). I continue to search and apply for opportunities to work sustainably on this, ideally in a team and educational environment with mentors so that I can continue my education on topics of interest. I have developed enough paper drafts and concepts to make this a PhD project, so I hope to find an interdisicplinary flexible degree program where I may study astronauitcs, orbital dynamics (my original passion), philosophy, space policy, knowledge representation & reasoning, etc.
All content is presented "AS IS". All content, work and products are subject to revision. No claims to completeness or accuracy. No warranty. Author and copyright holder is not liable.
© 2011-2022, Robert John Rovetto. All right reserved. Not authorized for commercial use unless explicitly negotiated with the author. Citation/attribution required.
