Unique search and track procedures utilizing the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) worldwide sites

摘要

The GEODSS Vela Search Team developed revolutionary, new procedures to search for man-made objects in deep space. The procedures were designed to find the Vela communication satellites which were launched over a decade period beginning in the 1960s. These satellites were placed in highly eccentric orbits and for the most part had not been tracked since launch, which, in some cases, exceeded 40 years. The detection strategy used the sun to provide illumination along with modifying system optical parameters. The GEODSS team has found 5 lost Vela satellites and enhanced the Air Force Space Command satellite catalog. This Vela Search Team worked with the Air Force to aggressively launch a first-ever proactive campaign against this series of lost satellites using the three GEODSS optical detachments. Two new tactics, techniques & procedures were successfully used to capture these very hard to track objects. The revisit time was increased from intermittent and yearly tracking to weeks or better for 3 Vela's lost for over four decades. Lessons learned were established for Vela & other orbit types. The Joint Space Operations Center (JSPOC) analysts stated that the Vela search and tracking was a great success. Additionally, a GEODSS Tactics Development Team was the first to use a deep space observing telescope to track satellites in near earth orbits and outside of the traditional observing period. The Team developed a procedure using modified optical viewing parameters and new search techniques engaging GEODSS telescopes in a mission they were not designed to perform. The team was able to observe and provide metric track data on the International Space Station, Hubble Space Telescope and several other satellites in Near Earth Orbits Additionally, data was collected before the civil sunset observing period on the Phobos-Grunt re-entry and an Iridium Communications Satellite in Low Earth Orbit The ability to observe and then successfully repeat the process was a monumentalal achievement. The GEODSS team accomplishment pushed the boundaries of the system design and proved existing capabilities that had not, up to this time, been considered.