Abstract
We are currently constructing a 0.5-meter and a 1-meter wide-field telescope that will operate in tandem to detect and track Near Earth Objects and space debris. The telescopes have a single flat-plane Cassegrain focus, are optimized for a specific range of wavelengths of light, a small focal ratio with a wide field of view, and hold a single multi-chip CCD camera as their only observational instrument. Because these telescopes are designed for a specific type of observation, the costs of the telescopes are greatly reduced compared to similar sized multipurpose telescopes systems. To achieve high-quality NEO/Space Debris observations, the manufacturers of the telescope systems, CCD cameras, facilities, and software work together to integrate their cutting-edge technologies into a single robust system. In this paper we discuss the strategy, design, and implementation of our manufacturing team approach to building cost-effective advanced technology telescope systems.
