There has been a growing trend towards the use of robotically operated telescopes in recent years.
The most famous of the robotic telescopes are the Hubble Space Telescope, and the two Faulkes Telescopes in Hawaii and at Siding Spring near Coonabarabran in NSW, Australia. Both of these telescopes are 2-metre class telescopes designed to make remote imaging accessible to students across the world.
Along with these two telescopes, there have been a number of amateur initiatives, with several amateurs constructing small observatories in such places as the New Mexico desert and remotely imaging from their home-towns hundreds or sometimes thousands of miles away.
Inspired by the success of the Hubble Space Telescope, a consortium of amateurs designating themselves as the Amateur Space Telescope Remote Observatory (ASTRO) have achieved the impossible: launching their own orbiting space telescope.
This diverse group of amateurs which includes teachers, engineers, computer gurus and keen observers, got their big chance when a group member was chosen to be a crew member on the last Space Shuttle mission sent to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
It appears that owing to certain constructional delays, some of the planned instrument payload was not ready at the time of launch, leaving a spare capacity of 300kg which JPL generously made available to the group.
Having only one month's notice, the team at ASTRO had to improvise by modifying an existing commercially available 20" /5 design by fitting swivelling solar panels, ServoCAT drive with special lubricants capable of functioning in a vacuum, and communication and control components sourced from their local Radio Shack.
Delivered into an orbit near, but at a different altitude to that of the Hubble Space Telescope, the ASTRO scope has performed flawlessly and a major observing program is now being developed. The first test image taken was of the South Galactic Pole and is absolutely stunning in its visual clarity.