SMARTnet™ Small Aperture Robotic Telescope Network
Data Exchange Platform SMARTnet™
SMARTnet™ is an international open exchange platform for measurements of resident space objects. This platform is operated by the German Space Operations Center (GSOC) in close collaboration with the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB) and is free of charge.
Partners, including companies, universities, and research institutions that continuously collect data on space objects using sensors, provide their data to SMARTnet™ free of charge and, in return, gain access to all data collected within the platform. The products generated from this data can be marketed or used by these partners. However, the resale or redistribution of SMARTnet™ data is not permitted. We use this data ourselves for research and to enhance the safe operation of satellites managed by the GSOC.
Software development of telescope stations
For the telescope stations we operate, we develop the necessary software ourselves. This includes the control and monitoring of the stations (SMARTware), tasking the telescopes and controlling the instruments (SMARTies), as well as the subsequent data reduction from images to tracklets (SMARTpro).
SMARTware
In order to operate the telescope stations fully automatically and remotely, the SMARTware software is being developed. This software not only monitors an entire station but also prepares the necessary equipment for observations. It tracks weather conditions such as wind, rain, humidity, and temperature. If the weather is favorable for observations, the dome is opened before observations begin, and the cameras are cooled. Typically, all observations are completed before the dome is closed at the end of the night, and any unused hardware is powered down. To avoid frequent opening and closing of the dome during fluctuating weather conditions, such as with wind, a hysteresis is built into the dome control system. Additionally, a triple safety mechanism is implemented to ensure the dome closes: it can be closed via software, an additional rain sensor automatically triggers closure, and finally, a dead man’s switch will close the dome after a certain time in the event of a software failure.
SMARTies
To optimize the available time for capturing images, the SMARTies (SMARTnet Instrument Enhancing Software) is being developed. This software is modular and allows for the easy integration of other hardware components, such as when changing cameras. SMARTies enables the creation of image series of space objects, single image captures, or recording of light curves. The required planning file is created externally and allows for various settings such as exposure time, camera temperature, and other camera configurations, the type of tracking, or specific time windows and intervals between observations. If changes are needed, this planning can be flexibly adjusted at any time.
SMARTpro
To derive the desired measurements, such as astrometric positions and brightness, from raw data (images), a series of processing steps is required. For this purpose, the SMARTpro software is being developed. After a standard reduction of bias, dark, and flatfield, optional steps can be performed to enhance measurement accuracy, such as accounting for the variable brightness of the sky background, correcting geometric distortions, or improving the point spread function of the optical system. Then, using the stars captured in the images, the position and brightness of the observed objects are determined. SMARTpro is currently in development and will eventually ensure the processing of images captured with SMARTies into Level 1b products.
Telescope Design
When designing a telescope station, the components must be carefully coordinated within a given budget. This requires considering how focal length, pixel size of available sensors, the field of view of the telescopes, and seeing conditions interact. Since camera technology has rapidly advanced in recent years, the next stations will use (s)CMOS cameras, which offer a higher frame rate than CCD cameras—crucial for capturing light curves. However, some of these cameras have an electronic rolling shutter, which introduces "motion" that must be accounted for and corrected during data analysis. The necessary software and corrections for SMARTpro are developed and integrated by our team.