ISON Worldwide Scientific Optical Network

The international scientific optical network (ISON) that was developed in the last few years is one from largest system specialized on space debris observations at high orbits and is able to observe whole GEO ring. Now ISON collaborates with 25 observatories in 9 countries. Series of standard telescopes and mounts was produced, and a lot of the modern CCD cameras is purchased to equip the ISON observatories. Standard solution for precise time keeping is installed at each telescope together with standard software packages for CCD frame processing, CCD camera, GPS receiver and mount control. 32 telescopes with aperture in range between 0.2 and 2.6 m are arranged in the three ISON subsets dedicated to different class objects. The ISON observations are coordinated mainly by the Center on collection; processing and analysis of information on space debris (CCPAISD) developed and operated on the basis of the Ballistic Centre at the KIAM, Russian Academy of Sciences. Almost one million measurements about 2000 space objects were received at CCPAISD up to now. More than 700 earlier unknown objects are discovered. It is planned to obtain about two millions measurements per year since 2009. ISON is an open international non-government project and may be considered as a free source of information on space objects for global civil SSA.