Computer scientist tracks satellites with automated observatory built from off-the-shelf technology
Computer scientist Allen Schnibben has developed an automated observatory using off-the-shelf technology to track the growing number of satellites in Earth's orbit. The facility aims to prevent catastrophic collisions by monitoring the increasing density of human-made objects in space.
Why it matters
As satellite constellations expand, the risk of orbital debris and collisions increases, threatening global communication and space infrastructure.
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Add to Preferred Sources Allen Schnibben, a computer scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, works at the SOHBRIT observatory, which runs a series of automated tasks, including tracking the increasing number of satellites in Earth's orbit. Credit: Craig Fritz/Sandia National Laboratories Allen Schnibben's interest in space started when he was a child. "I picked up some books about the solar system when I was in elementary school. In middle school, I got a telescope and I started observing the night sky as a hobby," said Schnibben, a computer scientist at Sandia National Laboratories. "My entire life, I've had an interest in space." Now, Schnibben collects data on satellites at Sandia's SOHBRIT facility, a 12-foot-wide (3.7-meter-wide) observatory.
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