Air Force proposes facility consisting of up to seven telescopes at Haleakalā on Maui

The Department of the Air Force is proposing to construct and operate the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site Small Telescope Advanced Research (AMOS STAR) facility on the island of Maui.

The proposed facility would consist of up to seven telescopes enclosed in domes that would be constructed on a developed site adjacent to the Haleakalā Observatory and the 15th Space Surveillance Squadron (15 SPSS) Maui Space Surveillance Complex (MSSC).

If constructed, the proposed facility would be connected to and operated primarily remotely from the Air Force Research Laboratory and 15 SPSS facilities in the MSSC Advanced Electro-Optical System control room and other sites with remote access.

The proposed AMOS STAR facility would require utilities, including fiber optic links from the MSSC, a paved access drive and parking facilities, surface water runoff management measures, and other site improvements. 

An administrative public review and comment period for the environmental impact statement preparation notice started on April 23, 2023. Comments are due by June 7, 2024.

Please may be submitted using the comment tool on the project website at www.amosstareis.com, or via email to [email protected]. Alternatively, comments can be sent by US mail to: AMOS STAR EIS c/o Tetra Tech, 1230 Columbia St., Ste. 1000, San Diego, CA 92101. 

EIS public scoping meetings will be held May 13, 14 and 15, 2024 from 6-9 p.m. at the Kahului Community Center, Mayor H. Tavares Community Center in Pukalani, and the Kīhei Community Center, respectively.