Overview
This entry covers a gallery image that appears to show an optical tracking telescope array — a system of telescopes used to track satellites, missiles, or other airborne or space-based objects. The image's specific programme attribution, date, and location cannot be verified from the image alone.
Optical tracking telescopes are used by the US military and intelligence communities for space surveillance (tracking and characterising satellites and orbital debris), missile tracking (tracking ballistic missiles during test launches or operational engagements), and astronomical research. The United States operates several networks of optical tracking telescopes, including the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) system and the Space Surveillance Telescope (SST).
Space Surveillance Networks
The United States operates several optical space surveillance networks:
Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS): GEODSS is a network of three sites (in New Mexico, Hawaii, and Diego Garcia) equipped with large telescopes that track objects in deep space (geosynchronous orbit and above). GEODSS uses sensitive electro-optical cameras to detect and track satellites by their reflected sunlight.
Space Surveillance Telescope (SST): The SST is a large, wide-field-of-view telescope developed by DARPA and transferred to the Air Force (now Space Force) for space surveillance. The SST is located at the Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt in Western Australia. The SST's wide field of view allows it to survey large areas of the sky quickly, making it particularly effective for detecting and tracking faint objects in geosynchronous orbit.
Ground-based Space Surveillance (GSS) network: A broader network of optical and radar sensors used by the 18th Space Defense Squadron (formerly the Joint Space Operations Center) to maintain the space catalogue — a database of all tracked objects in Earth orbit.
Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS): Located at the Haleakala Observatory on Maui, Hawaii, the MSSS includes several telescopes used for space surveillance and astronomical research, including the 3.6-meter Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) telescope.
Optical Tracking Technology
Optical tracking telescopes use several key technologies:
Large apertures: To detect faint objects (such as small satellites or debris), large telescope apertures are needed to collect sufficient light. GEODSS telescopes have apertures of approximately 1 metre, while the SST has an aperture of 3.5 metres.
Wide field of view: For survey applications, a wide field of view is needed to cover large areas of the sky. The SST achieves a wide field of view (approximately 6 square degrees) through an innovative optical design using a curved focal plane.
Electro-optical sensors: Modern optical tracking telescopes use charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors to detect and record images. These sensors are more sensitive than photographic film and allow digital processing of images.
Adaptive optics: Some tracking telescopes use adaptive optics to correct for atmospheric turbulence, improving image quality and the ability to resolve details on satellites.
Gimbal mounts: Tracking telescopes are mounted on precision gimbals that allow them to point at and follow moving targets. The gimbals must provide smooth, accurate motion at rates sufficient to track objects in low Earth orbit, which move across the sky at approximately 1 degree per second.
Declassification and Provenance
The gallery image is from a legacy compilation whose CIA-P2 catalog number is a legacy identifier and does not establish CIA authorship, declassification, or provenance. The image's presence in the compilation does not constitute evidence that the depicted array is a CIA facility, a classified system, or a specific named programme.
The image should be treated as an unverified photograph of an optical tracking telescope array of unknown programme attribution.
References
- US Space Force. "Space Surveillance Network." Space Force programme information.
- DARPA. "Space Surveillance Telescope (SST)." DARPA programme information.
- Air Force Research Laboratory. "Maui Space Surveillance System." AFRL.
- National Research Council. Orbital Debris: A Technical Assessment. National Academies Press.