Tags: Australia, Debris, Space Surveillance Telescope, DARPA
Publication: Reuters.com
Publication Date: 11/14/2012

U.S. Secretary of State Leon Panetta, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Australian Foreign Minister Robert Carr at Kings Park and Botanic Garden in Perth, Australia, where they made the announcements on November 14, 2012. Image credit: Travis Longmore

The U.S. military has decided to move a C-Band radar that helps track space debris – currently located on the island of Antigua – to a new location in Australia. The radar is capable of tracking approximately 200 objects a day, making it key to protecting satellites orbiting space from threatening pieces of debris.

The radar is expected to stay in its current location until 2014 when it will be moved to Australia’s Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station. Once relocated, it will be the first LEO space surveillance network sensor in the southern hemisphere of our planet.

The military also announced it plans to move the Space Surveillance Telescope, an advanced optical telescope developed by DARPA, to Australia and that both countries are discussing on establishing a “Combined Communications Gateway.” This would give the nations better access to the Wideband Global Satellite communications satellite currently in orbit.

The move is seen as deepening ties between the American and Australian military and as strategic for the U.S.’s defense interest that have been shifting toward Asia.

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