First astrometric observations of space debris with the MéO telescope

The MéO (for Métrologie Optique) telescope is the Satellite and Lunar Laser Ranging (SLR) dedicated telescope of Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (France) located at plateau de Calern. The telescope uses an altazimuth mount. The motorization of the mount has a capability of 6 deg/s allowing the follow up of Low Earth Orbits (LEO) satellites, as well as Medium Earth Orbits (MEO) and geostationary (GEO) satellites, and the Moon. The telescope has a primary mirror of 1.54 m. It uses a Nasmyth focus equipped with an EMCCD camera. The telescope field of view, defined by the equivalent focal length and the size of the camera, is currently 3.4 arcmin × 3.4 arcmin.     

Time Transfer by Laser Link: Data analysis and validation to the ps level

The Time Transfer by Laser Link (T2L2) is a very high resolution time transfer technique based on the recording of arrival times of laser pulses at the satellite. T2L2 was designed to achieve time stability in the range of 1 ps over 1000 s and an accuracy better than 100 ps. The project is in operation onboard the Jason-2 satellite since June 2008. The principle is based on the Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) technology; it uses the input of 20–25 SLR stations of the international laser network which participate in the tracking. This paper focuses on the data reduction process which was developed specifically to transform the raw information given by both space instrument and ground network: first to identify the triplets (ground and onboard epochs and time of flight of the laser pulse), second to estimate a usable product in terms of ground-to-space time transfer (including instrumental corrections), and thirdly to produce synchronization between any pair of remote ground clocks. In describing the validation of time synchronizations, the paper opens a way for monitoring the time difference between ultra-stable clocks thanks to a laser link at a few ps level for Common View passes. It highlights however that without accurately characterizing the onboard oscillator of Jason-2 and knowing the unavailability of time calibrations of SLR stations generally, time transfer over intercontinental distances remain difficult to be accurately estimated.     

A new algorithm for optical observations of space debris with the TAROT telescopes

Since 2004, we observe satellites in the geostationary orbit with a network of robotic ground based fully automated telescopes called TAROT. One of them is located in France and the second at ESO, La Silla, Chile. The system processes the data in real time. Its wide field of view is useful for the discovery, the systematic survey and for the tracking of both catalogued and un-catalogued objects. We present a new source extraction algorithm based on morphological mathematic, which has been tested and is currently under implementation in the standard pipeline. Using this method, the observation strategy will correlate the measurements of the same object on successive images and give better detection rate and false alarm rate than the previous one. The overall efficiency and quality of the survey of the geostationary orbit has drastically improved and we can now detect satellites and debris in different orbits like Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). Results obtained in real conditions with TAROT are presented.     

A robotic telescope network for space debris identification and tracking

The two TAROT (Télescopes à Action Rapide pour les Objets Transitoires; Rapid Action Telescopes for Transient Objects) installations are fully robotic optical observatories with optimized observation scheduling, data processing and archiving. Zadko is a 1 m telescope in Western Australia. The fully robotisation of the Zadko telescope has just been completed; it is now included in the TAROT network. In this paper we provide an overview of this international network of robotic optical telescopes. We discuss the advantages of using the network to participate in a satellite and space debris tracking program. This network will access almost all geostationary belt objects, and provide the first real-time satellite positioning capability. The inclusion of the 1 m Zadko telescope into the network significantly extends the efficiency and sensitivity of the existing two telescope configuration.     

The Zadko telescope: A resource for science education enrichment

This paper describes plans for employing a new fully robotic optical telescope in Western Australia, the Zadko telescope, for evaluating education-outreach. A key feature of the telescope is the optimized observation-scheduling program, developed by our French collaborators who operate the TAROT robotic telescope network. It provides a simple interface for requesting observation time remotely, and has the potential for school students to participate in real astronomical research. The University of Western Australia and Curtin University are commencing a study for evaluating changes in student perceptions of science by participation in our astronomy research. Other areas of interest include broadening the program to include access of students from European countries, and exploring how remote access astronomy can be used to encourage awareness between different cultures.