Space Surveillance Telescope Aims to Boost Space Situational Awareness

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

02.13.2011

Courtesy Photo

Defense.gov         

Current deep-space search telescopes can’t provide a full picture of objects such as microsatellites and space debris that threaten military satellites. Gaps in observational coverage hamper space situational awareness in this critical area. Begun in 2002, the Space Surveillance Telescope program aims to enable ground-based, broad-area search, detection and tracking of small objects in deep space for purposes such as space mission assurance and asteroid detection. The telescope achieved first light in February 2011. SST completed its Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency test and evaluation period in August 2012. DARPA will now help Air Force Space Command to undertake a military utility assessment study of SST by taking observations to demonstrate SST's performance over a full lunar cycle. DOD photo

• Date Taken: 02.13.2011
• Date Posted: 07.03.2025 11:27
• Photo ID: 9148058
• VIRIN: 110213-D-D0439-4531
• Resolution: 1392x920
• Size: 656.57 KB
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)