THE U.S. Space Force has switched on a brand new spy telescope that’s designed to protect against the threat of space attacks.
The Space Surveillance Telescope, which is located in Australia, will help military chiefs keep a close eye on Russian and Chinese satellites.
Australia’s Department of Defence announced that the Space Surveillance Telescope was operational on September 30.
“With testing complete, the Space Surveillance Telescope will allow greater space domain awareness,” the agency said.
It joins the network of sensors used by the United States, Australia and other allies to track objects in orbit.
Space-based technologies are on the rise, with an estimated 10,000 satellites in orbit.
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Many of the probes around our planet are spy satellites loaded with high-powered cameras and other snooping technology.
Satellites of the future will have the capacity to carry nuclear weapons and even inspect and destroy enemy spy satellites.
To keep track of what’s going on above our heads, the Pentagon is setting up a Space Surveillance Network (SSN).
It’s a group of telescopes across the globe that track thousands of objects in space, including space debris and active satellites.
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The Space Surveillance Telescope is one of the first established in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to a press release, it can locate and track debris up to 22,000 miles above the Earth’s surface.
It does that using a 3.5 meter (138″) aperture mirror that can pick up the faintest glints of light in the night sky.
The United States owns the 120,000kg telescope. Australia built the site and is responsible for operations and training.
The Royal Australian Air Force will operate the telescope in coordination with the U.S. Space Force’s Space Delta 2 unit responsible for space domain awareness.
“In an increasingly contested and congested space environment, The Space Surveillance Telescope will provide enhanced awareness of the space domain and contribute to greater Alliance cooperation,” Air-Vice Marshal Cath Roberts said.
”The bespoke facilities and supporting infrastructure are as much of a milestone as the telescope itself and represent a significant achievement by Defence and Australian industry”.
Australia isn’t the only country where spy telescopes are being built.
It emerged last year that the U.S. plans to build a deep space spy base in the U.K. to protect satellites from Russian and Chinese weapons.
The US Space Force is examining sites in Scotland and the south of England for a tracking installation, as well as others in Texas and Australia.
The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability, or DARC, can spot objects the size of footballs from 22,400 miles away.
The system, which could be up and running by 2027, scours the skies for suspicious activity and dangerous space debris.
Lt Col Jack Walker, from the US Space and Missile Systems Centre, said there could be up to 16 massive satellite dishes.
Each of them would be 50ft in diameter and would be arrayed across an area the size of 150 football pitches.
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