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Russia to boost space object measuring accuracy with telescope photodetectors

Operational telescopes will be outfitted with new photodetectors, their operation will require upgrading computing systems by switching over to new high-capacity computers

MOSCOW, May 13. /TASS/. Russia will outfit telescopes of its ground-based optoelectronic stations with photodetectors to boost the accuracy of measuring space objects’ coordinates, Head of the Information Analytical Center at the Central Research Institute of Machine-Building (TsNIIMash, part of the space agency Roscosmos) Igor Bakaras told TASS on Thursday.

The upgrade of the telescopes will not affect their design features, the Russian specialist explained. "The novelty is that photo receivers based on advanced highly sensitive sensors will be mounted on the telescopes. This replacement will help boost the service life, reliability and capacity of equipment and raise the accuracy of measuring space objects’ coordinates," Bakaras noted.

Operational telescopes will be outfitted with new photodetectors. Their operation will require upgrading computing systems by switching over to new high-capacity computers," he explained.

Russia’s Automated Warning System of Hazardous Situations in near-Earth Space was established and began operating in 2016. Its integral optoelectronic equipment automatically detects space vehicles and space junk objects and determines their coordinates.

Russia to deploy four ground-based near-Earth space monitoring stations

Russia plans to deploy four ground-based near-Earth space monitoring stations on its territory and abroad by 2025, the Roscosmos specialist said.

"As of today, the plans of further improving the Automated Warning System of Hazardous Situations in near-Earth Space through 2025 stipulate developing, creating and deploying four modern ground-based optoelectronic observation posts both on the territory of Russia and abroad," Bakaras said.

The observation posts will integrate about 20 telescopes of different apertures for near-Earth space monitoring, the specialist specified.

"The locations of ground-based observation posts will be specified after making corresponding models and determining the most favorable conditions from the viewpoint of astroclimatic weather and the availability of the required infrastructure," Bakaras explained.

Currently, the system operates 36 telescopes of various designation within 10 ground-based stations located on the territory of Russia, Armenia and Brazil. An additional 20 to 25 new telescopes are expected to go on stream later.

"Therefore, there will be a total of about 60 specialized telescopes within 14 optoelectronic systems," the Roscosmos specialist said.