Bisei Spaceguard Center
Encyclopedia
The Bisei Spaceguard Center was established solely to track Asteroid
s and space debris
. This debris
, along with defunct spaceships, satellites as well as other small objects can present a hazard to operating spacecraft. The Bisei facility was constructed in 2000 in Bisei, Okayama
by the Japan Space Forum (JSF) with contributions by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. All expenses of the center are covered by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
or(JAXA). The telescopes which keep track of any space debris are manned by members of the Japan Spaceguard Association. Besides the spaceguard center, the facility also includes an Astronomical Observatory.
The 1-meter Cassegrain
telescope has a field of view of three degrees and there are plans to use a mosaic of ten CCD
detectors each one of which will have dimensions of 2096 x 4096 pixels. A 0.5-meter telescope
with a field of view
of 2 x 2 degrees began operations in February 2000. Once the 1-meter NEO search telescope begins operations, the 0.5-meter telescope will be used to provide follow-up astrometric observations.
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
s and space debris
Space debris
Space debris, also known as orbital debris, space junk, and space waste, is the collection of objects in orbit around Earth that were created by humans but no longer serve any useful purpose. These objects consist of everything from spent rocket stages and defunct satellites to erosion, explosion...
. This debris
Debris
Debris is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier etc. The singular form of debris is debris...
, along with defunct spaceships, satellites as well as other small objects can present a hazard to operating spacecraft. The Bisei facility was constructed in 2000 in Bisei, Okayama
Bisei, Okayama
was a town located in Oda District, Okayama, Japan.On March 1, 2005 Bisei, along with the town of Yoshii, from Shitsuki District, was merged into the city of Ibara....
by the Japan Space Forum (JSF) with contributions by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. All expenses of the center are covered by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
The , or JAXA, is Japan's national aerospace agency. Through the merger of three previously independent organizations, JAXA was formed on October 1, 2003, as an Independent Administrative Institution administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the...
or(JAXA). The telescopes which keep track of any space debris are manned by members of the Japan Spaceguard Association. Besides the spaceguard center, the facility also includes an Astronomical Observatory.
The 1-meter Cassegrain
Cassegrain reflector
The Cassegrain reflector is a combination of a primary concave mirror and a secondary convex mirror, often used in optical telescopes and radio antennas....
telescope has a field of view of three degrees and there are plans to use a mosaic of ten CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
detectors each one of which will have dimensions of 2096 x 4096 pixels. A 0.5-meter telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
with a field of view
Field of view
The field of view is the extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment....
of 2 x 2 degrees began operations in February 2000. Once the 1-meter NEO search telescope begins operations, the 0.5-meter telescope will be used to provide follow-up astrometric observations.