[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-201642-105":59,"doc-detail-201642-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","deploying-the-nasa-meter-class-autonomous-telescope-mcat-on-ascension-island","Deploying the NASA Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension Island","","NASA successfully constructed the 1.3 m Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) facility on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. MCAT is an optical telescope built to collect ground-based measurements for statistical characterization of orbital debris across Low Earth Orbit through Middle Earth and onward to geotransfer and geosynchronous regimes. The near-equatorial site strengthens coverage in the GEODSS network and enables access to low-inclination LEO orbits. Operations rely on an autonomous software suite controlling dome and telescope, calibrations, observing strategy, data reduction, satellite transfer, and postprocessing at NASA Johnson Space Center. Initial system characterization from commissioning tests is presented.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/deploying-the-nasa-meter-class-autonomous-telescope-mcat-on-ascension-island/201642/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/deploying-the-nasa-meter-class-autonomous-telescope-mcat-on-ascension-island/201642.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Melati","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-27","2026-09-04",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":44},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is the MCAT telescope designed to do?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"MCAT is an optical telescope designed to collect ground-based data to statistically characterize orbital debris from LEO through MEO and beyond to GTO/GEO.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Why is Ascension Island important for MCAT observations?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"Its near-equatorial location fills a longitudinal gap in the GEODSS network and enables access to low-inclination LEO orbits (LILO).",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How does the MCAT facility operate and handle data?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"A software suite controls the dome and telescope, evaluates sky and weather, performs calibrations, selects an observing strategy, and runs observations. Reduced data are transferred via satellite to and from Ascension, with postprocessing at NASA Johnson Space Center.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},201642,1788536412,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":44,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":8,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":81,"preview_page_count":4},962085570644,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","Deploying the NASA Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension Island  \nS. M. Lederer, L. Pace, P. Hickson, H. M. Cowardin, J. Frith, B. Buckalew, T.Glesne, R. Maeda, D. Douglas, D.  \nNishimoto  \nNASA has successfully constructed the 1.3m Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) facility on Ascension Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. MCAT is an optical telescope designed specifically to collect ground-based data for the statistical characterization of orbital debris ranging from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) through Middle Earth Orbits (MEO) and beyond to Geo Transfer and Geosynchronous Orbits (GTO/GEO) . The location of Ascension Island has two distinct advantages. First, the near-equatorial location fills a significant longitudinal gap in the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) network of telescopes, and second, it allows access to objects in Low Inclination Low-Earth Orbits (LILO) .  \nThe MCAT facility will be controlled by a sophisticated software suite that operates the dome and telescope, assesses sky and weather conditions, conducts all necessary calibrations, defines an observing strategy (as dictated by weather, sky conditions and the observing plan for the night), and carries out the observations. It then reduces the collected data via four primary observing modes ranging from tracking previously cataloged objects to conducting general surveys for detecting uncorrelated debris. Nightly observing plans, as well as the resulting text file of reduced data, will be transferred to and from Ascension, respectively, via a satellite connection. Postprocessing occurs at NASA Johnson Space Center.  \nConstruction began in September, 2014 with dome and telescope installation occurring in April through early June, 2015. First light was achieved in June, 2015. Acceptance testing, full commissioning, and calibration of this soon-tobe fully autonomous system commenced in summer 2015. The initial characterization of the system from these tests is presented herein.","cbCaicw6RLJt1M73","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicw6RLJt1M73","pdf",10990,"English","# Overview of MCAT on Ascension Island\n## Telescope purpose and site advantages\n## Autonomous control, observing modes, and data flow\n## Construction timeline and initial characterization","[{\"question\":\"What is the MCAT telescope designed to do?\",\"answer\":\"MCAT is an optical telescope designed to collect ground-based data to statistically characterize orbital debris from LEO through MEO and beyond to GTO/GEO.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is Ascension Island important for MCAT observations?\",\"answer\":\"Its near-equatorial location fills a longitudinal gap in the GEODSS network and enables access to low-inclination LEO orbits (LILO).\"},{\"question\":\"How does the MCAT facility operate and handle data?\",\"answer\":\"A software suite controls the dome and telescope, evaluates sky and weather, performs calibrations, selects an observing strategy, and runs observations. Reduced data are transferred via satellite to and from Ascension, with postprocessing at NASA Johnson Space Center.\"}]","Deploying the NASA Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (MCAT) on Ascension Island | PDF"]