A new home for NEAT on the 1.2-m/B37 at AMOS

The NASA/JPL Near Earth Asteroid Tracking (NEAT) Program was in operation using the Maul GEODSS as its observing platform for about three years starting in late 1995 and continuing into 1998. In October of 1998 the NASA/AFSPC Near Earth Object Working Group (NEOWG) recommended that the NASA/JPL NEAT program be moved to the AMOS 1.2m/B37 telescope. This paper describes the technical efforts that were required to facilitate the move. The task requirements specified that the modified 1.2m/B37 system be capable of producing a field of view (FOV) greater than or equal to 1.4 degrees X 1.4 degrees at the NEAT camera focal plane. Further, it was specified that no modifications be made to the 1.2m/B37 mirror or the NASA/JPL camera. Thus, activity focused on the development of suitable focal reduction optics (FRO). A new headring and spider, based on the original design, were also built to receive the NEAT FRO and the NASA/JPL camera. Operation of the NEAT system, for asteroid search and discovery, will be autonomous and remotely directed from NASA/JPL. Finally, the potential for use of the NEAT system as regards the satellite metric mission will also be presented.