New 'spectral fingerprint' atlas of satellites aims to improve space security

Tuesday
Image
Two smiling men stand beside a large telescope on a rooftop observatory with a mountain range in the background. The image highlights the telescope's size and design, with the open sky and cityscape visible behind them, suggesting a setting for astronomical research.

U of A researchers have created the first astronomical equivalent of a fingerprint database for satellites, a critical first step toward easily identifying human-made objects in the increasingly crowded geostationary orbit.