COBRA DANE, Military radar installation at Eareckson Air Station, Shemya Island, United States
COBRA DANE is a military radar facility on Shemya Island that uses a massive antenna array to track aircraft and space objects across vast distances. The system operates continuously from this remote location in the Aleutian Islands.
Built in 1976, the facility was designed to verify military agreements between the United States and the Soviet Union. Over time, its mission expanded to track space objects and other activities in the sky.
The radar station represents the only permanent human presence on Shemya Island, where personnel maintain continuous surveillance operations throughout the year.
The facility sits on a remote island with limited accessibility and is closed to regular visitors. Access is restricted to authorized personnel only and requires special clearance from military authorities.
The system maintains records on thousands of space objects and can detect extremely small items from hundreds of miles away. This ability allows operators to identify and track even tiny debris in orbit.
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