New subsystem of the ISON optical network to improve the conjunction analysis

Abstract

In 2015 quantity of telescopes of 37 observatories that collaborate with ISON project in 17 countries is close to 100 units. These telescopes are combined in 4 main subsystems - for GEO survey, bright and faint objects follow up, and for asteroids (ASPIN). KIAM collected 10.7 million astrometry measurements during 2014 and 9.7 millions to the middle of September 2015. Since 2010, ISON is involving in operations of the Roscosmos Automated system of warning on dangerous situations in space (ASPOS OKP). In this system KIAM is responsible for the daily conjunction analysis at high orbits. To improve the quality of this activity ISON is deploying additional subnetwork for extended GEO surveys from 7 small (18-19.2 cm aperture) automated telescopes with field of view 7x7 degree. Extended surveys of new ISON subnetwork allows to KIAM to determine more precise GEO orbits, to detect maneuvers of active satellites and to help maintain the orbits of GEO objects in clusters. Also it was attempted to form the other new ISON subsystem - for LEO observations from 8 telescopes of 12.5 –cm – 50-cm apertures, but then it was solved to complete with these telescopes already existing follow up subsystems