Capturing Space
Air Force space surveillance system tracks satellites, provides data to researchers
Story by Tech Sgt. Matthew Bates
Photos by Tech Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Videos by Andrew Breese
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
Capturing Space
Air Force space surveillance system tracks satellites, provides data to researchers
Story by Tech Sgt. Matthew Bates
Photos by Tech Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Videos by Andrew Breese
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
Capturing Space
Air Force space surveillance system tracks satellites, provides data to researchers
Story by Tech Sgt. Matthew Bates
Photos by Tech Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Videos by Andrew Breese
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
Capturing Space
Air Force space surveillance system tracks satellites, provides data to researchers
Story by Tech Sgt. Matthew Bates
Photos by Tech Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Videos by Andrew Breese
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
The
Maui Space Surveillance Complex, which belongs to Air Force Space
Command, is home to several telescopes that track objects orbiting the
earth, such as satellites and space debris. The complex is located
10,000 feet above sea level on top of Haleakala, a dormant volcano on
the island, that is also considered one of the best places on Earth to
view space from. This time lapse sequence was captured over a three-day
period by a team from Airman magazine, the U.S. Air Force's official
publication.
The
Maui Space Surveillance Complex is located on Mount Haleakala, a
dormant volcano on the island of Maui in Hawaii. It’s one of three sites
Air Force Space Command operates that makes up the Ground-based
Electro-Optical Deep-Space Surveillance network, which tracks man-made
objects orbiting the Earth. - See more at:
http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
The
Maui Space Surveillance Complex is located on Mount Haleakala, a
dormant volcano on the island of Maui in Hawaii. It’s one of three sites
Air Force Space Command operates that makes up the Ground-based
Electro-Optical Deep-Space Surveillance network, which tracks man-made
objects orbiting the Earth. - See more at:
http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
Capturing Space
Air Force space surveillance system tracks satellites, provides data to researchers
Story by Tech Sgt. Matthew Bates
Photos by Tech Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III
Videos by Andrew Breese
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf
Capt.
Shahn Rashid stands inside the housing of one of the Air Force’s
one-meter GEODSS sensor dome at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex.
Rashid is the commander of Detachment 3, a dedicated space surveillance
unit located at the top of Mount Haleakala in Maui. (U.S. Air Force
photo/Tech. Sgt. Bennie J. Davis III)
It’s the view of space the Air Force is interested in. Space, after all, is part of the service’s domain and fits into several of its core missions. Satellites are used in intelligence gathering, navigation and communications. Situational awareness of what’s occurring with those satellites in the space domain above Earth is critical to sustaining those systems and supporting our joint force commanders, the nation and users worldwide.
“Space situational awareness absolutely underpins all that we do in space, from launch all the way up through space operations. We depend on SSA to let us know what’s going on in the space environment,” said Gen. William Shelton, the AFSPC commander. “And almost every aspect of military operations involves space and cyberspace systems in some fashion.”
Sitting atop a volcano, Rashid understands this. He knows the cold, wind and long hours are all worth it. Not because he gets to see some of the most spectacular views of space every time he goes to work, but because, miles above the Earth, he’s helping to ensure space capabilities provide a decisive advantage for the nation’s warfighters.
Rashid, and the rest of the folks at the Maui Space Complex make sure those objects are where they should be, doing what they should be doing.
“But, yeah, the view is a killer perk,” he said.
- See more at: http://airman.dodlive.mil/2013/11/capturing-space/#sthash.0Xfz9Vfg.dpuf