German researchers at the University of Würzburg have developed an advanced AI-driven system to improve the tracking of asteroids and other celestial bodies. This initiative, led by the Professorship for Space Technology in collaboration with the student association WüSpace, utilizes a state-of-the-art telescope with artificial intelligence algorithms to monitor and analyze near-Earth objects with unprecedented speed and accuracy.

The telescope, located atop the geography building on the Hubland Campus, has been operational since early 2024. It was acquired through the KI-SENS project to enhance aerospace education and research. A key feature of this telescope is its integration with AI algorithms developed by aerospace computer science students from WüSpace. These algorithms enable the telescope to autonomously detect small moving objects in the sky, predict their trajectories, and maintain continuous tracking. This capability significantly improves the accuracy of monitoring asteroids and other space objects, contributing to better satellite collision avoidance strategies and deepening our understanding of the solar system.

The telescope's data is transmitted to the Minor Planet Center (MPC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the global hub for observations of small celestial bodies. Remarkably, just four days after starting observations, the MPC assigned the Würzburg telescope the observatory code D69, acknowledging the high quality of its data. The team has reported 257 measurements from 34 distinct asteroids, demonstrating the system's effectiveness.

In a notable demonstration of its capabilities, the Würzburg telescope recently tracked the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Despite the JWST being approximately 1.4 million kilometers away—about 3.6 times the distance to the Moon—the AI-enhanced system successfully tracked this distant object, showcasing its exceptional precision and potential for future astronomical research.

This AI-driven approach advances the field of asteroid tracking and exemplifies the transformative impact of integrating artificial intelligence in astronomical observations.