AI Insight
Allen Schnibben, a computer scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, has built an automated satellite tracking observatory called SOHBRIT using off-the-shelf technology. The 12-foot-wide facility allows him to collect data on satellites, combining his childhood passion for astronomy with his professional expertise. The observatory represents an accessible approach to satellite observation using commercially available components rather than specialized equipment.
Why it matters
This demonstrates that satellite tracking capabilities can be developed using readily available technology, potentially making space monitoring more accessible to smaller institutions and organizations. The work shows how automated systems can be deployed for continuous satellite observation and data collection at lower costs than traditional specialized facilities.
Understand the Science
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.
Source: Computer scientist tracks satellites with automated observatory built from off-the-shelf technology