Space surveillance

Space surveillance is the study and monitoring of satellites orbiting the earth. It involves the detection, tracking, cataloging and identification of artificial objects, i.e. active/inactive satellites, spent rocket bodies, or fragmentation debris.

## Contents

* 1 Aims
* 2 Systems
* 3 References
* 4 External links

## Aims

Space surveillance accomplishes the following:

* Predicting when and where a decaying space object will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere;
* Preventing a returning space object, which to radar looks like a missile, from triggering a false alarm in missile-attack warning sensors;[1]
* Charting the present position of space objects and plot their anticipated orbital paths;
* Detecting new man-made objects in space;
* Producing a running catalogue of man-made space objects;
* Determining which country owns a re-entering space object;[1]
* Informing countries whether or not objects may interfere with satellites and International Space Station orbits;
* Providing data for future anti-satellite weapons systems.

## Systems

Ground-based electro-optical deep-space surveillance telescopes at White Sands Missile Range.

Systems include:

* The United States Space Surveillance Network which has detectors such as the Space Fence (replacing the now defunct Air Force Space Surveillance System) and Space Surveillance Telescope[1]
* The Russian Main Control Centre of Outer Space with facilities such as Okno and Krona
* The French GRAVES (Grand Réseau Adapté à la Veille Spatiale) bi-static radar-based space surveillance system deploy by French Air Force
* The European Space Situational Awareness Programme with multiple assets in its Space Surveillance and Tracking Segment

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Space Surveillance". http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usspc-fs/space.htm.

## External links

* United States Space Surveillance

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