University of Hawaii role critical in monitoring space debris and asteroids from University of Hawai'i System on Vimeo.
The University of Hawaiʻi Haleakalā High Altitude Observatory Site on Maui and the Mauna Kea Observatories on the island of Hawaiʻi are world renowned.
“The University of Hawaiʻi is extremely fortunate to be the steward of two of the best astronomical sites in the whole world because of the shape of our mountains and our islands,” said Mike Maberry, the assistant director of the UHInstitute for Astronomy.
It’s why the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference (AMOS), the premiere space surveillance conference in the nation, has been held in Hawaiʻi every year since 2001. Space situational awareness is the focus—keeping track of manmade space junk and asteroids that could damage or destroy commercial and government satellites.
“Space has become so very, very busy,” said Space Foundation CEO Elliot Pulham. “It is full of debris. It’s full of flying spacecraft. It is just a very treacherous environment to operate in and the capability for understanding that and managing that resides right here in Maui. So it’s important for us to all get together and talk about that.”