1. Current status of the ISON optical network
Russian Academy of Sciences
Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics
Current status of the ISON optical network
Igor Molotov, Vladimir Agapov, Viktor Voropaev, Vladimir Zolotov, Tungalag Namkhai, Tatiana Kokina, Javier Montojo, Rodolfo Zalles
40th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
August 2014, Moscow, Russia

2. International Scientific Optical Network (ISON)
ISON is an open international project developed to be an independent source of data about space objects for scientific analysis and SSA
Additional scientific goals – asteroids and GRB afterglows
ISON joins 35 observation facilities of various affiliation with 80 telescopes in 15 countries that produced already about 20 millions measurements on 4000 objects
Main area of monitoring is GEO, regular surveys of HEO objects are carried out, observations of LEO objects are started
Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KIAM) maintains 35% more complete GEO-object database than public TLE data and provides conjunction analysis for Roscosmos GEO satellites

3. ISON Research Goals in Space Debris Area
Estimation of real population of space debris at high geocentric orbits
Determination of physical properties of discovered space debris objects
Determination of probable sources of newly discovering space debris fragments
Verification of existing evolution models of space debris distribution
High orbit space debris risk assessment
Improvement of technologies of studying of space debris population using optical instruments
Improvement of motion models for space debris objects with complex physical properties

4. Map of ISON observatories

5. ISON structure 5 telescope subsets - global GEO survey (down to 15.5m)
- tracking the the faint (fainter than 15.5m) space debris at GEO and GTO
- tracking the bright GEO and HEO objects
HEO survey and extended GEO survey (down to 14.5m
tracking the bright LEO objects
3 types of telescope properties:
Academies of Sciences (including KIAM) and Universities
Roscosmos space debris dedicated mini-observatories
Commercial companies and private

6. First two Roscosmos mini-observatories in Kislovodsk and Byurakan with 3 telescopes in each (2x19.2 cm, 25 cm and 40 cm)

7. Global GEO survey subsystem: 8 of 22 cm, 4 of 25 cm with FOV of 3.5- 5.5 degree

8. Planning of GEO survey observations: a few strips
covering selected declination range
Distribution of the catalogued GEO objects in right ascension – declination plane

9. Global GEO survey subsystem:
12 small survey automated telescopes across the globe + one 50-cm telescope near Barcelona
centralized scheduling at KIAM
each telescope is surveying visible part of GEO and provides a few thousands measurements for a few hundreds objects per night
duration of tracks is varying between 15 and 40 minutes
these surveys produce measurements for all bright GEO-objects supporting the maintenance of KIAM database
many uncatalogued fragments and objects of new GEO launches are detecting
many HEO objects are detecting as background ones

10. Subsystem for faint debris tracking: AT-64 Nauchny-1, RC-800 Mayaki, S-600 Andrushivka, CANTEL-650 in Ussuriysk, CHV-400 in Kosala, AZT-14 Mondy, Zeiss-600 in Arkhyz, ORI-40 in Kitab, CHV-400 in Uzhgorod, CHV-500 in Blagoveschensk

11. Subsystem for tracking of bright GEO and HEO objects: GAS-250 in Ussuriysk, BNC-250 in Uzhgorod, ORI-25 in Blagoveschensk, ORI-25 in Tiraspol, TAL-250 in Chuguev, ORI-25 in Kislovodsk, PH-1 n Nauchniy-1, ORI-25 in Byurakan, TAL-250 in Barnaul, TAL-250 in Mayaki

12. One18-cm telescope for HEO survey (Nauchniy-1) and six 19
One18-cm telescope for HEO survey (Nauchniy-1) and six 19.2 cm telescopes for extended GEO survey (Khuraltogot, Sanglokh, Kislovodsk, Byurakan, Nauchniy-1, Tiraspol) with FOV of 7 degree and more

13. Planning of extended GEO survey observations: many strips selects providing more frequent passes of GEO during night
Distribution of the catalogued GEO objects in right ascension – declination plane

14. Extended GEO surveys
four cm automated survey telescopes with FOV of 7x7 degree
centralized scheduling at KIAM
each telescope is surveying visible part of GEO and provides up to 15 thousands measurements for objects per night
duration of object tracks is up to a few hours
these surveys allows to KIAM to determine more precise GEO orbits for conjunction analysis, to detect maneuvers of active satellites and to help maintain the orbits of GEO objects in clusters
many HEO objects are detecting as background ones

15. Extended GEO surveys. Measurement arc length. Sanglok VT-78e.

16. Starting of new subsystem for tracking of LEO objects
5 telescopes (25 cm and 12.5 cm in Kislovodsk,
22 cm and 12.5 cm in Tiraspol, 12.5 cm in Moscow)
5 more telescopes in plans

17. Growing amount of measurements collected by ISON for objects in GEO and HEO, 2003 – 2013

18. GEO coverage by ISON in January-May of 2014

21. KIAM/ISON Database Current Status
4031 tracking high orbit objects with orbit epoch age not older than 1 year as of May 13, 2014:
3059 (75.9%) observing by ISON and having orbital data published at SpaceTrack
972 (24.1%) observing by ISON and partner teams only (no other public sources of orbital data)
Total number of high orbit objects with A/m > 0.1 sq.m/kg: 704 (225 with orbital data available from both sources/479 with orbital data producing by ISON and partner teams only):

22. HEO, MEO and GEO Objects in ISON Database
Objects associated with Molniya-type orbit launches
Objects associated with GTO launches
Objects originated in GEO

23. Distribution of observing GEO objects by period and inclination

24. Distribution of observing GEO objects
by eccentricity and area to mass ratio

26. Forms of collaboration with ISON
Joint observation campaigns to exchange the obtained results
Installation of ISON telescopes to share the data
Modernization of non-operational obsolete telescopes
Production of telescope under scientific grants for future joint observations
Service on provision of orbital data
Service on conjunction analysis
Participation at ISON workshops

27. Part of ISON orbital data is available: http://spacedata. vimpel
Part of ISON orbital data is available: Information about ISON project:

28. Conclusion
ISON project is good example of fruitful international scientific collaboration in field of near-Earth orbits monitoring
Unique observatory network provides global coverage and release updated orbital data for about objects without TLE
Unique KIAM database (about 20 millions of measurements for 4000 objects ) is using for scientific analysis and applied tasks, including spaceflight safety support
Development of ISON continues and everyone is welcome to participate
During next year next generation of ISON telescopes will appear – 20-cm aperture with and 40-cm aperture with FOV of 7x10 degree to form barrier optical multi- channel system