Below is a selection from the CAPS Overview PDF

Mark's AIAA information and the link to the PDF

But before we get to that...again I ask: I read Mark's post (linked above) and the PDF. Where does any of this say the best place to put detection assets is the surface of the Moon? In fact it seems to need the lunar infrastructure preexisting before even suggesting the Moon as one place to possibly put CAPS assets.

What Gary worries about is completely independent of other assets like CAPS. It's the design of the spacecraft infrastructure to do M,M&B (now only a vision i.e.: VSE), the political decisions and the lack of adequate money is at issue not what you might do at the Moonbase once built.

I note you (Ed) haven't replied with numbers to support your so called bandwidth issues. A Red Herring?

From the CAPS Summery:
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Current NEO detection efforts use dedicated ground-based telescopes equipped with CCD (Charge Coupled Device) detectors and automated identification routines.

• Detection of small and/or dim NEOs (Visual Magnitude > 24) by ground-based telescopes is significantly limited due to:

– Atmospheric extinction and turbulence.

– Geographic limitations of telescope location.

– Earth’s day/night cycle, poor weather and lunar intrusions.

– Warning times for LPCs may only be on the order of weeks or months. Only 10% of known LPCs have been discovered more than 100 days before perihelion. Potentially no warning time for smaller NEAs that have not been cataloged.

• Space-based systems can overcome ground-based detection limitations:

– Improved sensitivity, increased observation time and reduced revisit times.

– Optimal placement of detection systems and coordinated observations (can observe closer to Sun).

– Significantly increased warning times are possible.

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Detection System

– Provide “single” system concept that can detect and provide precision orbit determination for both LPCs and NEAs (in particular small, previously undetected NEAs).

– Provide an astronomical asset that can provide unprecedented scientific observations of the entire celestial sky on a regular basis - both planetary bodies and extra-solar objects.

– Catalog of smaller NEAs (50-100 m class) would provide a valuable resource:

• Exploitation - mining, utilization, terra-forming, etc. Estimated “terrestrial” value of a 50 m asteroid is on the order of several billion dollars (function of composition).

• Exploration - scientific missions, resource utilization, safe in-space transportation, etc.

• Kinetic energy impact mitigation resource - “cosmic billiards.”

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The CAPS study team is focusing on three different detection architectures to accomplish the mission functions:

– Lunar surface based

– Heliocentric orbit (nominally at 1AU – potentially Lagrange points)

– Earth orbiting

• CAPS could utilize existing/future Earth ground-based assets. Future dedicated facilities, such as the Large-Aperture Synoptic Survey Telescope, could be linked.

• The placement of CAPS assets is greatly influenced by assumptions regarding the availability of synergistic space infrastructure (e.g., Lunar base). The final system may be configured with elements at various locations.

• Architecture should provide a robust system concept capable of indefinite operational lifetime (highly autonomous, minimal servicing/maintenance, subsystem upgrades, etc.).