Rapid Deployment, Calibration, and Training of Optical Observatories for Space Domain Awareness

Rapid Deployment, Calibration, and Training of Optical Observatories for Space Domain Awareness | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Rapid Deployment, Calibration, and Training of Optical Observatories for Space Domain Awareness J. Zachary Gazak, Ryan Swindle, Sierra Morales, Kevin Iott, Eric Blackhurst, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The proliferation of maneuverable satellites in Earth orbit \((-)\) and the expansion of organizations controlling them \((-)\) demands a proliferation of ground based space domain awareness (SDA) infrastructure to maintain safe access to \((-)\) and operations in \((-)\) space. The requirement for mass-produced 0.5-1.5 meter optical telescopes has never been greater. These systems must be rapidly deployable, useful within days of deployment, and provide precise metric observations autonomously. Acquisition of commercial telescopes optimized for cost and quality solves hardware needs. We focus on algorithms for calibration and precision star detection enabling measurements of satellite positions for orbit determination and tracking. We propose a three part solution. First, we demonstrate a toolset (``Burr'') for automatic calibration, including the generation of star streak datasets. Second, we describe a new concept of operations using both rate and sidereal tracking ( S idereal EN riched P recision A strometric I ntelligence, ``SENPAI'') which returns \((\sim1\arcsec)\) astrometric residuals on calibration satellites in right ascension and declination. Finally, we introduce a custom lightweight neural network (Star Center and Scale Prediction, ``StarCSP''), inspired by the crowd counting literature enabling rapid operations. In combination, this set of tools provide the necessary framework to convert an optical telescope into a high precision SDA asset within days of deployment. We demonstrate this on multiple 0.35m observatories. Space domain awareness Optical astrometry Telescope calibration Star streak detection Neural networks Rapid deployment Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8745329","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":601471929,"identity":"b2a59768-3b13-41e3-9270-6f6f4f199fe6","order_by":0,"name":"J. Zachary Gazak","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAvElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgYGxgcMBVAmAwMzUVqYDRgMwMzGBqK0AAGbBEQL2BoitDD3H79W8cPgcDSD2OH2BwwV1okNhB12puxmj8Hh3AbpRKDDzqQToaWxJ+0GD0wLY9thIrQ086QV/oFr+UeMljb2Y8wIWxqI0dLDwywtY5Ce2wbUMiPhWLoxQS2G/ccffnxTYZ3bL53+4MOHGmtZwloaeCCRwgYiEggpBwF5BvYHxKgbBaNgFIyCkQwABWdAqWoS4UgAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Space Systems Command","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"J.","middleName":"Zachary","lastName":"Gazak","suffix":""},{"id":601471930,"identity":"bf27c3a2-44f7-466f-b5b8-50e95b5cb45f","order_by":1,"name":"Ryan Swindle","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Space Systems Command","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ryan","middleName":"","lastName":"Swindle","suffix":""},{"id":601471931,"identity":"87cff3bb-ce99-4c6d-84c5-38345f108171","order_by":2,"name":"Sierra Morales","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of California Observatories","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sierra","middleName":"","lastName":"Morales","suffix":""},{"id":601471932,"identity":"c1f5e98e-b794-4b5b-8828-697058f22719","order_by":3,"name":"Kevin Iott","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Planewave Instruments","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kevin","middleName":"","lastName":"Iott","suffix":""},{"id":601471933,"identity":"d09e6ed6-a842-4ff8-85a6-f3ab7f383594","order_by":4,"name":"Eric Blackhurst","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Planewave Instruments","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Eric","middleName":"","lastName":"Blackhurst","suffix":""},{"id":601471934,"identity":"1bc8407c-7603-4d13-a2f4-1aebdeeee160","order_by":5,"name":"Justin Fletcher","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Space Systems Command","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Justin","middleName":"","lastName":"Fletcher","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-01-30 23:38:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":104808297,"identity":"ca74fd1f-adb3-4ef4-b668-4f75454debca","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-17 12:35:31","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":3870783,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"RapidDeployJASS.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8745329/v1_covered_81825100-30bf-4947-bc90-7ab58ee19838.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Rapid Deployment, Calibration, and Training of Optical Observatories for Space Domain Awareness","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Space domain awareness, Optical astrometry, Telescope calibration, Star streak detection, Neural networks, Rapid deployment","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThe proliferation of maneuverable satellites in Earth orbit\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\((-)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e and the expansion of organizations controlling them\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\((-)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003edemands a proliferation of ground based space domain awareness (SDA) infrastructure to maintain safe access to\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\((-)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e and operations in\u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\((-)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003espace. The requirement for mass-produced 0.5-1.5 meter optical telescopes has never been greater. These systems must be rapidly deployable, useful within days of deployment, and provide precise metric observations autonomously. Acquisition of commercial telescopes optimized for cost and quality solves hardware needs. We focus on algorithms for calibration and precision star detection enabling measurements of satellite positions for orbit determination and tracking. We propose a three part solution. First, we demonstrate a toolset (``Burr'') for automatic calibration, including the generation of star streak datasets. Second, we describe a new concept of operations using both rate and sidereal tracking (\u003cb\u003eS\u003c/b\u003eidereal \u003cb\u003eEN\u003c/b\u003eriched \u003cb\u003eP\u003c/b\u003erecision \u003cb\u003eA\u003c/b\u003estrometric \u003cb\u003eI\u003c/b\u003entelligence, ``SENPAI'') which returns \u003cspan class=\"InlineEquation\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mathinline\"\u003e\\((\\sim1\\arcsec)\\)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e astrometric residuals on calibration satellites in right ascension and declination. Finally, we introduce a custom lightweight neural network (Star Center and Scale Prediction, ``StarCSP''), inspired by the crowd counting literature enabling rapid operations. In combination, this set of tools provide the necessary framework to convert an optical telescope into a high precision SDA asset within days of deployment. We demonstrate this on multiple 0.35m observatories.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Rapid Deployment, Calibration, and Training of Optical Observatories for Space Domain Awareness","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-03-06 20:49:35","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8745329/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"085569b7-9362-4cc3-a35f-df4dac4aacf1","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 6th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-04-16T18:54:14+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-03-06 20:49:35","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8745329","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8745329","identity":"rs-8745329","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}