Australian Space Surveillance Telescope achieves FOC

The Australian Space Surveillance Telescope (SST), located at Exmouth in Western Australia, has achieved Final Operational Capability (FOC). The SST will give the ADF and allied nations greater awareness of artificial objects orbiting Earth.

Defence and the USAF agreed to relocate the SST from the Caribbean to Exmouth in 2013, as part of efforts to enhance coalition space domain awareness capability and improve coverage in the region. This was carried out by Darwin-based construction firm Sitzler in 2019 under Joint Project 9360 (originally AIR3029 Ph.2). The relocation included construction of a cyclone-proof rotating dome weighing 275 tonnes to house the sensor; the dome rotates with the SST which provides a 360^o view of the sky to track space debris and help predict potential collisions.

Chief of Space and Cyber, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle AM CSC DSM, said space capabilities underpinned the ADF’s warfighting effectiveness and assured Australia had continuous open access to space.

“Locating the Space Surveillance Telescope in Western Australia provides unique space domain awareness coverage for Australia and our allies, filling a Space Surveillance Network gap over our region,” LTGEN Coyle said. “The SST will enable us to work closely with US Space Force to detect, track, catalogue and identify objects in geostationary orbit, as well as predict and avoid potential collisions.”

The ADF’s Head of Space and Cyber Capabilities, Rear Admiral Andrew Quinn, said the SST had undergone a rigorous test and evaluation program to assess its performance as a space domain awareness sensor.

“A critical component to the SST reaching FOC was the establishment of a $17 million Mirror Recoating Facility, co-located with the telescope,” he added. “The Mirror Recoating Facility, built by Australian industry, will allow Defence to maintain and recoat the SST mirrors on site, keeping it at peak performance throughout its operational life.”