John Sandusky of the National Solar Thermal Test Facility. He is probably as well known as anyone for his pioneering efforts to detect and track asteroids. During a recent experiment using one of the facility’s 212 heliostats, Sandusky proposed an innovative application for these solar energy devices: detecting asteroids at night. He shared his research at the International Society for Optics and Photonics conference held in San Diego. His research finds that heliostats could be integral to detecting near-Earth objects, and they could do it more cost-effectively.
The pilot test took place at Sandia National Laboratories’ National Solar Thermal Test Facility. Sandusky utilized a heliostat field to gather data literally until sunrise. His goal was to find out whether these devices could detect the minuscule light reflected off asteroids. Sandusky reflected sunlight onto a solar chimney that reached 200 feet in height. To make a good impression, he took his measurements every 20 minutes. His target was immensely ambitious: a femtowatt—literally a fraction of a fractal-watt of energy—derived from sunlight reflected from asteroids.
Innovative Methodology
In his original, pioneering experiment, Sandusky accomplished this feat with widely available optical tools. Specifically, he measured the focused beam of concentrated light that the heliostat reflected onto the solar tower. This unique arrangement made it possible for him to track the light signature of quickly moving asteroids in front of the background of still distant stars. He timed the asteroid’s speed against stationary celestial landmarks. His mission wasn’t just about tracking asteroids that might hit us, though.
Sandusky’s approach capitalizes on the concept that heliostats, typically used in solar energy applications, could be repurposed for astronomical monitoring. He envisions a future where these devices can do much more than just collect solar energy during the day. They will be on the frontlines of evening observations too. This dual functionality allows researchers to improve their capability to discover and detect near-Earth objects. These objects are a potential hazard to our earth.
Findings and Implications
Sandusky’s research has certainly raised a lot of buzz and piqued the curiosity of the scientific community. It all came together in a recently published paper in Unconventional Imaging, Sensing, and Adaptive Optics 2024. The paper chronicles his experimental methods and experiences. This contribution to the field only cements his reputation as a solar science trailblazer, marrying innovative solar technology with cutting-edge space observation.
His findings suggest that heliostats would make a valuable addition to asteroid monitoring efforts, improving early warning systems for Earth-asteroid collisions. Using solar technology that’s already been engineered and deployed is a smart and cost-effective approach to asteroid detection. This brings an unprecedented opportunity to improve our planetary defense efforts. Sandusky is hopeful that this pioneering application of heliostats will help bring the United States and the world a little closer to safety.
The Future of Asteroid Detection
Looking ahead, Sandusky emphasizes that this research represents just the beginning of what could be achieved with heliostats in space monitoring. Now, he sees a national opportunity to use this technology to power a “night job.” Surprisingly, this innovation allows scientists to use solar infrastructure for nighttime observations. By raising awareness and detection capability for near-Earth objects, he argues for more funding and attention to this out-of-the-box approach.