September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference1 Space Object Characterization Studies and the Magdalena Ridge Observatory’s 2.4-meter Telescope Photo by Mark Vincent Eileen V. Ryan and William H. Ryan New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference2 Collaborators: Dr. William H. Ryan (NMT/MRO) Dr. Van Romero (NMT/MRO) Dr. Mark Pesses (SAIC) Mr. James Brown (AFRL/VSBYB) Lt. Justin Cowley (AFRL/VSBYB) Dr. Phan Dao (AFRL/VSBYB) Dr. Michael Kendra (AFRL/VSBYB) Dr. Patrick McNicholl (AFRL/VSBYB) Mr. Robert O’Neil (AFRL/VSBYB) Dr. James Murguia (SSSC) Mr. Jonathon Mooney (SSSC) Mr. Rick Nelson (SSSC) Mr. Greg Diaz (SSSC) Mr. Toby Reeves (SSSC) Dr. Mara Payne (Boeing) Dr. Steve Gregory (Boeing) Site Location

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference3 Classical astronomical research, with queue & remote observing (e.g., small bodies, transient phenomena). DoD mission support: missile tracking, satellite signatures, sensor development. (The telescope is fast-tracking and can point 2  below horizon). Support & enhance NM education & public outreach. The 2.4 meter telescope has three basic objectives: The MRO 2.4-meter Project:

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference4 Elevation over azimuth gimbaled telescope. Optical design is f/8.8 modified Ritchey-Chrétien, with 2 Nasmyth & 4 bent-Cass. ports. (FOV: 19 arcmin) Shack-Hartmann Sensor Includes auto-guiding, a field derotator, & baffles. Instrumentation: 4Kx4K CCD imager, guest IR Camera, and low-resolution Spectrograph. Telescope Configuration:

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference5 Current Status: First Light Occurred on October 31, 2006, & the Telescope is Undergoing Commissioning and Integration. Research and Space Situational Awareness Work is Underway. First Science: Observations of Pluto as it occulted a 15th magnitude star on March 18, 2007 to monitor Pluto’s atmospheric variability.

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference6 Near-Earth Comet Linear VZ 13 Sidereal tracking of Comet Linear VZ 13 with the 2.4m Telescope on July 6, 2007

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference7 Tracking NEA 2007 FK1 Non-sidereal tracking of near-Earth Asteroid 2007 FK1 with the 2.4m Telescope on May 14, 2007

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference8 Tracking LEO NORAD: Non-sidereal tracking of a LEO (altitude ~850 km) NORAD rocket body on July 18, 2007

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference9 Science Focus Areas: Asteroids NASA-Funded Vesta Asteroid Family Project: (E. Ryan & B. Ryan) Direct model simulation with two objects: a good general match to features in the observed lightcurve for 3155 Lee. Complex lightcurve of asteroid 3155 Lee taken 1.8m VATT telescope.

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference10 Characterization of NEOs Follow-up and Physical Characterization of Near-Earth Objects (Capability extends to asteroids ≥ 140m) Lightcurve and polarization work in collaboration with Catalina Sky Survey. The 2.4m has a large enough aperture for astrometry of the smallest bodies (currently 30% of 1km discovered objects are lost). A collaborative with Pan-STARRS & CSS is being established for this work.

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference11 Non-Resolved Imaging of RSOs Spectrophotometry & Forward Modeling Polarimetric Photometry (M. Pesses, this session) Simultaneous Observations from Multiple Sites Simultaneous Temporal and Spectral Sensor Testing Space Weather Monitoring (V. Romero et al., this session) Techniques: Emphasis on LEO Objects

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference12 Lightcurves & Direct Modeling Complex Shapes Multiple Objects

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference13 Simultaneous Lightcurves: Shapes LEO Objects HEO/GEO Objects

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference14 Sensor Testing: Multi-Spectral Imaging Real-time spectral imaging (no temporal latency) Temporal co-registration between color images Spatial co-registration between color images Color bands can be designed for specific applications Faster-than-Video frame rates (90 Hz)

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference15 Visible Multi-Wavelength Spectral Sensor MRO is working on the testing of a visible spectral microlens sensor in collaboration with Hanscom Air Force Research Laboratory, Battlespace Surveillance Innovation Center. The objective is to improve space object identification techniques. Data taken with the microlens sensor (developed by Solid State Scientific Corporation) can simultaneously and instantaneously obtain images in 16 different spectral bands (at visible wavelengths: 0.43 – 0.83 microns). 16-Color Visible Spectral Imager

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference16 Multi-Spectral Imaging A test Observing Run will take place September 19 – 30, 2007 coupling this microlens sensor to MRO’s 2.4-meter telescope. Objects will be LEOs brighter than 5 th visual magnitude. Spectro-Photometry of LEOs at millisec rates

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference17 Summary Spectrophotometry of LEOs Sensor Development & Deployment Polarimetric Photometry Simultaneous Observations from Multiple Sites Space Environment Monitoring Initiating Testing Phase during Telescope Commissioning

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference18 Selected Image Reconstruction Binary Star: Zeta Bootis (0.7" separation). Images taken with the 2.4m telescope on May 28, Conditions: 36 mph winds, 1.3 arcsec seeing, thin clouds, 1 second exposures. Radial plot Selected Image Reconstruction: 13 best of 1000 images taken with second exposures, aligned and averaged. Before After

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference19 Selected Image Reconstruction Another Binary Star: Rotanev (0.6" separation). Images taken with the 2.4m telescope on May 28, Rotanev and SIR: 15 best of 1000 images taken with second exposures, aligned and averaged using the MRO 2.4m telescope on May 28, Rotanev and AO: Imaged at Starfire Optical Range using Adaptive Optics.

September 14, 2007, AMOS Conference20 Tracking Low-Earth Orbit Objects International Space Station Observation of the ISS taken with the 2.4m telescope on July 14, 2007