Misplaced Pages

The Maui Space Surveillance Complex (MSSC) is a U.S. Space Force operating location for the 15th Space Surveillance Squadron and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Haleakala Observatory on Maui, Hawaii, with a twofold mission (608). First, it conducts the research and development mission on the Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS) at the MSSC. Second, it oversees operation of the Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC). AFRL's research and development mission on Maui was formally called Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) and the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing observatory; the use of the term AMOS has been widespread throughout the technical community for over thirty years and is still used today at many technical conferences. The main-belt asteroid 8721 AMOS is named after the project.

Origins

The MSSS was first envisioned as an optical research observatory in the early 1950s. It was initiated by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) in 1961 as the ARPA Midcourse Optical Station (AMOS). It was first proposed by R. Zirkind of ARPA's staff for imaging ballistic missile payloads and decoys during their midcourse phase, and other space objects including satellites, in the infrared spectrum, as well as for performing astronomical research. Its location on Mount Haleakala was nearly ideal for its altitude high above much obscuration by water vapor, for its midcourse location between the missile launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base and its main reentry location at Kwajalein Atoll, and for its low-latitude location which was advantageous for observing satellites.

The AMOS effort formally began with an amendment to an existing ARPA order with the University of Michigan's Institute for Science and Technology, which was to design, construct, and operate the facility. This amendment defined the AMOS goals as follows: "(1) Identification and signature of space objects; (2) an active program to advance the state of the art in infrared technology and high-resolution imagery; (3) a research program in geophysics and astrophysics including the astronomical community." Design was completed in 1963, and physical plant construction begun by the Army Corps of Engineers. Construction was complete by 1967, after which the telescopes and control systems were evaluated, calibrated, and tested until mid 1969.

In 1969, AMOS potential had been demonstrated, and the Air Force took charge as ARPA's agent. The University of Michigan was replaced by industrial contractors, and numerous system improvements and additions then took place over subsequent years. In 1984, DARPA transferred it to the Air Force, which renamed it as MSSS in 1995.

Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS)

The accessibility and capability of the Maui Space Surveillance System provides an unequaled opportunity to the scientific community by combining state-of-the-art satellite tracking with a facility supporting research and development.

The Maui Space Surveillance System, is routinely involved in numerous observing programs and has the capability of projecting lasers into the atmosphere. Situated at the crest of the dormant volcano Haleakala (IAU code 608), the observatory stands at an altitude of 3058 metres, latitude 20.7 degrees N, and longitude 156.3 degrees W. It is essentially co-located with IAU code 566, Haleakala-NEAT/GEODSS. Virtually year-round viewing conditions are possible due to the relatively stable climate. Dry, clean air and minimal scattered light from surface sources enable visibility exceeding 150 km. Based on double star observations, seeing is typically on the order of one second of arc.

Spanning over 30 years, the evolution of the Maui Space Surveillance System has demonstrated several stages in the history of space object tracking telescopes. Currently, through its primary mission for the United States Space Force, Space Operations Command, (formerly, Air Force Space Command), the Maui Space Surveillance System combines large-aperture tracking optics with visible and infrared sensors to collect data on near Earth and deep-space objects. In the process of accomplishing its mission, the observatory has discovered a number of asteroids (see § List of discovered minor planets)

• Top-left: 3.67-meter Advanced Electro Optical System Telescope (AEOS)
• Top-right: 1.2-meter twin telescope (MOTIF)
• Bottom: Haleakala Observatory 1.6-meter telescope mounted on three axis

Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS)

The 3.67-meter telescope, known as the Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS), owned by the Department of Defense, is the United States' largest optical telescope designed for tracking satellites. The 75-ton AEOS telescope points and tracks very accurately, yet is fast enough to track both low-Earth satellites and ballistic missiles. AEOS can be used simultaneously by many groups or institutions because its light can be channeled through a series of mirrors to seven independent Coudé focus rooms below the telescope. Employing sophisticated sensors that include an adaptive optics system, radiometer, spectrograph, and long-wave infrared imager, the telescope tracks man-made objects in deep space and performs space object identification data collection.

AEOS is equipped with an adaptive optics system, the heart of which is a 941-actuator deformable mirror that can change its shape to remove the atmosphere's distorting effects. Scientists are expected to get near diffraction-limited images of space objects.

Maui Optical Tracking and Identification Facility (MOTIF)

The Maui Optical Tracking and Identification Facility (MOTIF) is also hosted at the MSSS site. The system consists of two 1.2-meter telescopes on a common mount. MOTIF is used primarily for Long Wave infrared (LWIR) and photometric data collection.

Other equipment at MSSS includes a 1.6-meter telescope that performs day and night tracking and imaging, a 0.8-meter beam director/tracker, and a 0.6-meter laser beam director. The telescopes accommodate a wide variety of sensor systems, including imaging systems, conventional and contrast mode photometers, infrared radiometers, low light level video systems, and acquisition telescopes.

Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS)

The MSSS site, also hosts assets for the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) system.

In addition to these assets, the site has a machine shop, optics laboratories, and electronics laboratories. A Remote Maui Experimental (RME) site at sea level houses additional optics and electronics laboratories. This secondary observation station at Kihei bears IAU code 625 and is located at 20°44′46″N 156°25′54″W / 20.74611°N 156.43167°W / 20.74611; -156.43167.

Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC)

The Maui High Performance Computing Center (MHPCC) is an Air Force Research Laboratory center currently managed by the University of Hawaii and is located in the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei. The MHPCC is a leading computing resource of the Department of Defense research and development community and operates numerous computer clusters, including a 5,120 processor Dell Poweredge cluster named "Jaws" which, as of November 2006, was the 11th most powerful computing systems in the world. The Center also has a 12,096 core IBM iDataplex Cluster, named "Riptide" which as November 2013 attained a peak performance Linpack performance of 212 Teraflops and ranked #192 on the Top500 in November 2013.

List of discovered minor planets

See also

• Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance* List of astronomical observatories
• List of minor planet discoverers § Discovering dedicated institutions
• List of astronomical observatories

References

1. "Minor Planet Discoverers (by number)". Minor Planet Center. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2016.
2. "Maui, Hawaii".
3. Schmadel, Lutz D. (2007). "(8721) Amos". Dictionary of Minor Planet Names – (8721) AMOS. Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 662. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-29925-7_7171. ISBN 978-3-540-00238-3.
4. ^ Clifford, Megan; Baiocchi, Dave; Welser IV, William (2013). "A Sixty-Year Timeline of the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site - Research Report". Rand. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
5. ^ Reed, Sidney G.; Van Atta, Richard H.; Deitchman, Seymour J. (February 1990). "DARPA TECHNICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS - A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF SELECTED DARPA PROJECTS - Volume 1" (PDF). FAS Space Policy Project. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
6. "Maui Optical Tracking and Identification Facility (MOTIF)". FAS. Archived from the original on 2015-10-11. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
7. "Maui Space Surveillance System (MSSS)". FAS. Archived from the original on 2015-10-10. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
8. "About MHPCC". Archived from the original on 2008-06-21. Retrieved 2008-08-28.
9. "Top500 List - November 2006". top500.org.
10. Maui Supercomputing Center to Reach 60 Teraflops
11. "Riptide - iDataPlex DX360M4, Xeon E5-2670 8C 2.600GHz, Infiniband FDR". top500.org.

External links

• Official website AMOS web site
• MHPCC web site

20°42′30″N 156°15′29″W / 20.70833°N 156.25806°W / 20.70833; -156.25806

v t e United States Space Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Space Staff Chief of Space Operations Vice Chief of Space Operations Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Director of Staff Deputy Chiefs of Space Operations General Officers Generals Lieutenant Generals Oversight House Armed Services Committee Strategic Forces subcommittee Senate Committee on Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee
Structure	Field commands Space Futures Command Space Operations Command Commander Space Systems Command Commander Space Training and Readiness Command Commander Component Field Commands United States Space Forces Central United States Space Forces Europe and Africa United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific United States Space Forces Korea United States Space Forces – Space Deltas Space Delta 1 Mission Delta 2 Mission Delta 3 Mission Delta 4 Space Delta 5 Space Delta 6 Space Delta 7 Space Delta 8 Space Delta 9 Space Delta 10 Space Delta 11 Space Delta 12 Space Delta 13 Space Delta 15 Space Delta 18 Space Delta 21 Space Delta 23 Space Delta 26 Space Launch Delta 30 Mission Delta 31 Space Launch Delta 45 Space Base Delta 1 Space Base Delta 2 Space Base Delta 3 Squadrons 1st Delta Operations 319th Combat Training 328th Weapons 392d Combat Training 533rd Training 21st Operations Support 15th Space Surveillance 18th Space Defense 19th Space Defense 20th Space Surveillance 3rd Combat Training 4th EW 5th EW 16th EW 23rd EW 2nd Space Warning 3rd satellite Communications 5th Space Warning 6th Space Warning 7th Space Warning 10th Space Warning 11th Space Warning 12th Space Warning 13th Space Warning 55th Combat Training 21st Space Operations 22nd Space Operations 23rd Space Operations 62nd Cyberspace 63rd Cyberspace 64th Cyberspace 65th Cyberspace 68th Cyberspace 69th Cyberspace 645th Cyberspace 71st ISR 72nd ISR 73rd ISR 74th ISR 75th ISR 76th ISR 1st Space Operations 2nd Navigation Warfare 3rd Space Operations 4th Space Operations 10th Space Operations 53rd Space Operations 527th Space Aggressor 1st Test and Evaluation 3rd Test and Evaluation 17th Test and Evaluation 25th Space Range 2nd Space Launch 5th Space Launch 1st Range Operations NSSI Direct reporting units Space Development Agency Space Rapid Capabilities Office Space Warfighting Analysis Center
Locations	Space Force Bases Buckley Los Angeles Patrick Peterson Schriever Vandenberg Space Bases Pituffik Space Force Stations Cape Canaveral Cape Cod Cavalier Cheyenne Mountain Clear Kaena Point New Boston
Personnel and training	Astronauts Awards and decorations Badges Ranks Training Academy Reserve Officer Training Corps Officer Training School Basic Military Training Uniforms
History and traditions	Delta Flag History Seal "Semper Supra" Air & Space Forces Association Space Force Association Former wings and deltas 21st Space Wing 50th Space Wing 460th Space Wing Space Training and Readiness Delta (Provisional)

v t e Military installations in Hawaii
Army	Fort Fort Shafter Fort DeRussy Airfield Wheeler Barracks Schofield Medical Center Tripler Training Area Pohakuloa Army National Guard Keaukaha Decommissioned Fort Armstrong Fort Kamehameha Fort Ruger
Marine Corps	Base Marine Corps Base Hawaii Air Station Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay Camp Camp H. M. Smith Ranges MCTAB Puuloa Decommissioned Marine Corps Air Station Ewa Camp Tarawa
Navy	Naval Air Station Barbers Point Radio Station Lualualei Base Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam Ranges Pacific Missile Range Facility Other NCTAMS PAC
Air Force	Base Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam Station Bellows Ka'ala Koke'e Air National Guard Kahului Keaukaha
Space Force	Station Kaena Point Maui Space Surveillance Complex
Coast Guard	Air Station Barbers Point

• Hawaii
• Astronomy
• Stars
• Spaceflight
• Outer space
• Solar System
• Education
• Science

• Astronomical observatories in Hawaii
• 1993 establishments in Hawaii
• Buildings and structures in Maui County, Hawaii
• Discoveries by AMOS
• Research installations of the United States Air Force
• Minor-planet discovering observatories
• United States Space Surveillance Network