Near-Earth Objects—primarily asteroids, but also comets—have been observed since the early 20th century. For decades, discoveries relied on photographic plates; today, advanced cameras and automated observation systems play a central role. The discovery rate has risen dramatically, alongside growing demands for higher accuracy and faster analysis. 

To mitigate potential threats effectively, it is crucial to determine an object’s orbit repeatedly and precisely. Asteroids don’t suddenly appear—they orbit the Sun along elliptical trajectories that can gradually shift due to planetary gravity and other factors. If these shifts bring an object dangerously close to Earth, it becomes a real threat. 

Continuous observation and monitoring of asteroid motion are therefore essential for predicting future trajectories. The more data we collect, the more accurately we can forecast. Importantly, no fully tested method exists for reliably altering the orbit of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, making early detection and long-term tracking absolutely critical. 

How The Project Addresses These Challenges

The project will create a fully autonomous observation node, featuring: 

• Two 1-meter-class telescopes equipped with cooled, high-sensitivity cameras and a set of movable filters 

• Control infrastructure 

• An automatically opening observation dome 

The telescopes will operate in tandem: 

• The first will conduct wide-sky surveys and detect new objects 

• The second will perform follow-up observations, calculate orbits for newly discovered bodies, and monitor known objects 

When needed, both telescopes can combine their capabilities, enabling faster sky surveys (by scanning different regions simultaneously) or detecting extremely faint objects (when both focus in the same direction). The system will also allow rapid response to sudden observational needs, including objects moving near Earth—asteroids, comets, rare interstellar visitors, or other fast-moving astronomical phenomena.