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YELLOW TRIANGLE / BLACK STAR = Lasers. Some of these installations are military-operated while others are typically
operated by universities conducting “dual use” research. GEODSS, USAF Satellite Control Network, and the International Laser
Ranging Service (ILRS) LiDARs (Light Detection and Ranging) are used to track satellites and near-earth objects.
Are industry and research instruments “dual use” for planetary surveillance? Certainly, the International Space Station (ISS) is
used to “test” various instruments. Here, the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) employs LiDAR to measure location,
composition and distribution of aerosols, pollution, “dusty plasma,” smoke, and other particulates, while the ISS-RapidScat radar
scatterometer gauges solar winds.
Laser systems like LaWS on the sea and Starfire on land are key to space situational awareness: “To maintain space situational
awareness, the Air Force conducts research in laser guided star adaptive optics, beam control, and space object identification.”
(“Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico,” Kirtland AFB Fact Sheet, March 9, 2012)
