Sandia National Laboratories’ SOHBRIT observatory uses commercially available products and automation software to collect satellite imagery during scheduled overnight runs. Computer scientist Allen Schnibben can set up an observing schedule from his desk, then review the resulting data the next day. Sandia says the 12-foot-wide (3.7-meter-wide) facility can observe about 80 satellites on a typical clear night.
What SOHBRIT is—and what it is for
SOHBRIT is an observatory at Sandia National Laboratories that supports experiments and testing for the lab’s Space Mission Program. Sandia describes the facility as 12 feet (3.7 meters) wide and built from commercial off-the-shelf products. Its purpose is to collect satellite imagery that Sandia employees can use in research and testing—not to serve as a published consumer observatory design.
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Sandia’s account does not identify the telescope, camera, mount, software stack, or budget. “Off-the-shelf” describes the broad sourcing approach, not a disclosed parts list or a step-by-step build plan. Sandia’s October 5, 2026 account of SOHBRIT provides the facility’s high-level description.
How does an automated observatory track satellites?
Sandia says SOHBRIT runs a series of automated tasks. Schnibben schedules operations remotely, and the observatory collects data overnight without requiring him to continuously monitor it. He described the workflow this way: “From my desk, I can set up a schedule that will execute during the night. And for the most part, I don’t have to continuously monitor it. All I have to do is just come in the next day and I have a fresh new set of data that was collected overnight.”
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That description explains the operational pattern—schedule, run, review—but not the detailed tracking method or system configuration. Sandia does not publish enough equipment or software detail to reproduce SOHBRIT from the report alone.
What does it observe?
“On a typical clear night, SOHBRIT can observe about 80 satellites,” Schnibben said. This is an attributed figure for typical clear conditions, not a guaranteed nightly count or a stated maximum. Weather and other operating conditions are not quantified in Sandia’s account.
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How the imagery supports Sandia’s experiments
Sandia says employees can use the satellite images in experiments involving detection algorithms and machine-learning models. The facility may also contribute to techniques that extend optical-system capabilities. Those are research applications and potential outcomes; Sandia’s report does not publish measured detection accuracy, a specific model result, or evidence that SOHBRIT itself prevents collisions.
Why keeping track of objects in orbit matters
Sandia frames observation and tracking as useful for understanding where objects are and helping predict close approaches. Schnibben, a computer scientist at Sandia, said: “If we don’t keep track of them, then satellites could inadvertently come close to each other and potentially run into each other.” This explains the motivation for monitoring; it should not be read as a claim that one observatory can independently prevent collisions.
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A Phys.org report published October 6, 2026, based on a Sandia-provided story, attributes to NASA the figure that more than 45,000 human-made objects were orbiting Earth as of 2024. The date matters: that is a 2024 figure, not a current 2026 count.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can a beginner telescope recreate SOHBRIT?
No. A telescope can be a starting point for observing the night sky as a hobby, but Sandia does not identify the telescope Schnibben first used or any of SOHBRIT’s equipment. The report also does not provide the automation, tracking, or analysis specifications needed to reproduce the observatory’s work. Schnibben’s personal interest began with books and a telescope; SOHBRIT is a lab facility built to support a specific research program.
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