By Aazam
Space Operations Command said a U.S.-built space-monitoring telescope in Western Australia is operational
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and MIT created the Space Surveillance Telescope to track junk in geosynchronous orbit, 22,000 miles above Earth.
In 2013, the U.S. Department of Defense agreed to transfer the telescope to Australia to remedy a coverage gap
SST was transferred from White Sands Missile Range in 2017 and took its first photos in 2020.
Under the 2013 agreement, the RAAF and 21st Space Wing will jointly operate SST.
SST is a component of the network of satellites, radars, and telescopes on the ground that the US Department of Defense calls the Space Surveillance Network.
According to the GAO, congestion raises space debris, causes emissions in the upper atmosphere, and inhibits astronomical study by reflecting sunlight and sending radio signals
He pushed for norms and standards to guarantee satellite owners clean up after themselves
Other recommendations include funding research into technologies that could minimize huge constellations' influence, enhancing data sharing, and improving organization and leadership systems
GAO said a regulatory framework with interconnected alternatives might help policymakers and the space community reduce the environmental effects of growing satellite constellations