The Flyeye Telescope is an innovative optical instrument, mimicking the complex structure of a fly’s compound eye. The application of Flyeye will permit to implement an innovative wide survey Earth protection service, for detection of threatening asteroids dangerous for Earth.
ESA’s Flyeye Telescope, the first of its kind, has reached an important milestone: it is now largely assembled, including the astronomic camera (definitive assembly at factory expected for mid 2020).
The Telescope will be located in Sicily (Italy), close to the top of Mufara Mountain – 1865m (site observation infrastructure will be ready in 2021). Once operative, it will automatically bring newly detected objects to the attention of ESA experts at the Near-Earth Object Coordination Centre (NEOCC).
Media were invited on behalf of ESA and ASI to OHB Italia SpA in Turate (CO) on 11th July 2019, to discover how this world-class technology is coming to life and the role it will play in the international planetary defence system. We had speakers working across ESA’s Space Safety Activities, as well as experts from ASI and OHB Italia SpA.
