Eric Pearce

Eric Pearce is a Professor at Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, specializing in advanced astronomical systems for satellite surveillance. His research bridges instrumentation development and space situational awareness, with a focus on optimizing telescope technology for Earth-orbit monitoring.

Research Focus:

• Design and deployment of robotic telescope systems for space object detection
• Algorithm development for satellite tracking and characterization
• Mersenne-Schmidt optical configurations for wide-field synoptic surveys
• High-sensitivity instrumentation for geosynchronous orbit monitoring

Previously, he led the DARPA Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) project at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, creating the world's first large-aperture Mersenne-Schmidt telescope. His early career included supernova detection systems at New Mexico Tech and telescope software development at Yerkes Observatory.