A bright orange light shoots into the sky Monday night as part of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s new guided-laser system at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex atop Haleakala. ROBERT FUGATE photo
A bright orange beam of light shot into space Monday night from atop Haleakala to signify the operation of a new guided-laser system at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex, a spokesman for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory said.
The Air Force’s $9.5 million Sodium Guidestar is attached to the Advanced Electro-Optical System, or AEOS, 3.6-meter telescope. It is the nation’s largest optical telescope designed for tracking satellites and missiles with visible and infrared sensors to collect data on near-Earth and deep-space objects.
Fired around 8 p.m., the new laser acts as an optical aid for the telescope when it loses focus because of atmospheric distortion, Air Force spokesman Jim “Kimo” Fisher said Tuesday. Now, researchers will be able to pick a point 35 to 54 miles above Earth’s surface for the laser to highlight and help the telescope focus on nearby objects.
The laser would only operate in five- to 10-minute intervals – far less than the old blue-and-green laser that typically shined overnight for about 10 hours each night, Fisher said. The old laser was used for satellite tracking, ranging and illumination.
He added that the upgraded laser will allow the telescope to run more efficiently and effectively, along with capturing even clearer images of space.
Residents and visitors may be able to see the orange light from a few locations on the summit, including the Visitor Center and Summit Overlook. The Air Force estimates that the light starts to disappear after about 1,200 meters and is faintly visible at dusk, Fisher said.
“You have to really drive out to the site and be right next to it to see it,” he said.
Researchers at the space complex will conduct a series of tests over the next week and plan to operate the laser two to three days per month from August to November, Fisher said.
The Air Force proposed the Guidestar laser two years ago. It is used at the Keck Observatory on the Big Island’s Mauna Kea and at observatories around the world. Upgrading the laser is part of the military branch’s effort to modernize its Haleakala facilities by renovating buildings and structures, upgrading equipment and replacing existing domes and sensors, such as cameras and lasers.
An environmental assessment determined that the laser would have no impact on birds and wildlife in the area. It noted that it is “extremely unlikely” that a bird flying near the laser projection with a beam diameter of 7.9 inches would intersect it and cause eye or other injuries.
Reasons cited include short exposure time to the beam, low bird activity at the site and that birds, such as the petrel, or ‘ua’u, fly below the angle of the laser beam projection.
The Air Force has been performing laser and optical system testing at Haleakala since 2000, the study said. It has seen negligible impact on the environment and there’s been no recorded impacts on ‘ua’u or other wildlife, the study said.
* Chris Sugidono can be reached at csugidono@mauinews.com.
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