U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability

(l-r) Air Surveillance Operators from No. 1 Remote Sensor Unit, Flight Sergeant Peter Merritt, Sergeant Emma Barker, Leading Aircraftwoman Amy Clements and Leading Aircraftman Corey Tuddenham, at the Air Forces Space Surveillance Telescope in Western Australia. Air Surveillance Operators at No. 1 Remote Sensor Unit based at RAAF Base Edinburgh concluded training on 23 April 2021 to operate the Units newest capability, the first RAAF Space Surveillance Telescope (SST). Located at the Harold E Holt Communication Station in Exmouth, Western Australia, the SST will survey the night skies, detecting and cataloguing objects in geosynchronous orbit, more than 30,000km above the Earth; where many important telecommunications satellites reside. Defunct satellites and debris litter this orbit and pose a collision risk to active spacecraft. As such, the SST's detections will help identify such risks and preserve the safe use of space. The first RAAF SST operators are now developing procedures and trialling techniques toward achieving Initial Operating Capability. The SST's observations will contribute to the Australian Defence Forces Space Domain Awareness, and that of Australia's allies. The establishment of the Space Surveillance Telescope capability marks an impressive milestone for 1RSU and more broadly, Air Forces collaboration with the US and agencies within the space sector.

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U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability

A Space Surveillance Telescope used to track satellites

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U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability

An internal view of the Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) inside the dome at Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt Sensor Site facility near Exmouth, Western Australia. On 30 Sep 2022, Australia and the United States declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the SST. The United States remain the SST owners. Australia are responsible for the facilities, operating and training units, preventative maintenance contracts and sustainment. The SST contributes to the global Space Surveillance Network, tracking and identifying objects in deep space, including space debris.

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U.S. Space Surveillance Telescope in Australia achieves initial operational capability

Published Sept. 30, 2022
By SpOC Staff Writer
Space Operations Command

Peterson Space Force Base, Colo -- PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Australian Department of Defence and the U.S. Space Force declared initial operational capability for the Space Surveillance Telescope at Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt, Australia, Sept. 30, 2022.

The SST is a military telescope that provides ground-based, broad-area search, detection and tracking of faint objects in deep space to help predict and avoid potential collisions, as well as detect and monitor asteroids.

Commander Defence Space Command, Air-Vice Marshal Cath Roberts said this milestone was an important step for the Alliance and the future of space capability in Australia.

“In an increasingly contested and congested space environment, The Space Surveillance Telescope will provide enhanced awareness of the space domain and contribute to greater Alliance cooperation,” Roberts said. “The bespoke facilities and supporting infrastructure are as much of a milestone as the telescope itself and represent a significant achievement by Defence and Australian industry.”

The SST was relocated from White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to Australia in 2017 as a combined effort to develop Australia’s space domain awareness capabilities. While the U.S. still owns the SST, Australia is responsible for the facilities and infrastructure, operators, and training.

U.S. Space Force Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, Chief of Space Operations, emphasized the need for strong international partnerships to continually improve U.S. and Allied space capabilities.

“Reaching initial operational capability is a major achievement that underscores the importance of working together to secure the ultimate high ground,” Raymond said. “My thanks and congratulations to our Australian partners and our Guardians and Airmen who have been collaborating for almost a decade to make this possible. I’m impressed at how far we’ve come together and look forward to continuing our close partnership as we work toward full operational capability.”

The SST will contribute to the U.S. Space Surveillance Network, a U.S. Space Command capability operated by the USSF to detect, track, catalog and identify artificial objects orbiting the earth. The telescope’s strategic location in Australia provides unique space domain awareness coverage in the region.

In November 2013, then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and then-Australian Defence Minister David Johnston signed a memorandum of understanding to relocate and jointly operate the telescope. In March 2020, the SST captured its first images from Australia of objects in space. Since then, it has undergone a rigorous test and evaluation program to transition it from a scientific research system to a military asset ready to support ongoing operations. Full operational capability is projected to be achieved in late 2023.

The SST is capable of imaging objects in geosynchronous orbit, approximately 22,000 miles above earth. Its data processing system can filter through more than a terabyte of data per night, as well as receive and process images in real time to determine precise satellite positions.

Space domain awareness refers to the study and monitoring of artificial objects, such as satellites and debris, orbiting the earth. In the USSF, this responsibility falls under Space Delta 2 - Space Domain Awareness. Delta 2 prepares and presents assigned and attached forces for the purpose of executing combat-ready space domain awareness operations to deter aggression and, if necessary, fight to protect and defend the U.S. and Allies from attack in, through and from space.