Space Surveillance Telescope
The Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) is a Southern Hemisphere-based U.S. Space Force telescope used for detecting, tracking, and cataloguing satellites, near-Earth objects, and space debris.
Space Surveillance Telescope | |
| Alternative names | SST |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | Exmouth, Western Australia, AUS |
| Coordinates | 21°53′44″S 114°05′24″E |
| Observatory code | G45 |
| First light | 2011, 2020 |
| Telescope style | optical telescope |
| Diameter | 3.5 m (11 ft 6 in) |
Location of Space Surveillance Telescope | |
| Related media on Commons | |
In 2011, SST achieved first light at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, United States. In 2017, the SST was dismantled and moved to the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station, Exmouth, Western Australia to a site with an altitude of around 65 metres (213 ft). From there it began observing the Southern Celestial Hemisphere and collecting data for the US Space Surveillance Network. The repositioned SST achieved first light in Australia on March 5, 2020. The SST entered initial operational capability on October 4, 2022 and is operated by the Royal Australian Air Force, 1 Remote Sensor Unit under the command and control (C2) of the U.S. Space Force.