TIRA, Research radar facility in Wachtberg, Germany
TIRA is a radar research facility in Wachtberg, near Bonn, that uses a large rotating parabolic dish to track objects in space. The dish sits inside a white protective dome, which shields the equipment from weather and allows the system to run at any time of day or year.
The facility was built in the mid-1960s and became operational for satellite observations in the early 1970s. Since then, the equipment has been updated several times to keep pace with the growing number of objects in orbit.
TIRA belongs to the Fraunhofer Society, one of the largest applied research organizations in Europe, and reflects a long German tradition of practical science. The white dome is a familiar landmark in the Wachtberg area and draws the curiosity of people passing through.
The site is private research ground and is not open to visitors. The dome is visible from the road nearby, and the Fraunhofer Institute publishes information about the facility's work for anyone who wants to learn more.
TIRA can produce detailed images of objects in orbit, showing features smaller than about 3 feet (1 meter) across from hundreds of miles away. This makes it one of only a handful of systems worldwide capable of mapping orbital debris in that level of detail.
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