Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing observatory The Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing ( AMOS ) observatory is an Air Force Research Laboratory ( AFRL ) operating location on Maui , Hawaii , with a twofold mission . First , it conducts the research and development mission on the Maui Space Surveillance System ( MSSS ) at the Maui Space Surveillance Complex ( MSSC ) . Second , it oversees operation of the Maui High Performance Computing Center ( MHPCC ) . AFRL ' s research and development mission on Maui was formally called AMOS ; the use of the term AMOS has been widespread throughout the technical community for over thirty years and is still used today at many technical conferences . Maui Space Surveillance System ( MSSS ) . The accessibility and capability of the Maui Space Surveillance System provides an unequaled opportunity to the scientific community by combining state - of - the - art satellite tracking with a facility supporting research and development . The Maui Space Surveillance System , is routinely involved in numerous observing programs and has the capability of projecting lasers into the atmosphere . Virtually year - round viewing conditions are possible due to the relatively stable climate . Dry , clean air and minimal scattered light from surface sources enable visibility exceeding 150 km . Based on double star observations , seeing is typically on the order of one second of arc . Situated at the crest of the dormant volcano Haleakala ( IAU code 608 ) , the observatory stands at an altitude of 3058 metres , latitude 20 . 7 degrees N , and longitude 156 . 3 degrees W . It is essentially co - located with IAU code 566 , Haleakala - NEAT / GEODSS . In the process of accomplishing its mission , the observatory has discovered a number of asteroid s . Optical Assets . Spanning over 30 years , the evolution of the Maui Space Surveillance System has demonstrated several stages in the history of space object tracking telescopes . Currently , through its primary mission for Air Force Space Command , the Maui Space Surveillance System combines large - aperture tracking optics with visible and infrared sensors to collect data on near Earth and deep - space objects . The 3 . 67 - meter telescope , known as the Advanced Electro - Optical System ( AEOS ) , owned by the Department of Defense , is the United States ' largest optical telescope designed for tracking satellites . The 75 - ton AEOS telescope points and tracks very accurately , yet is fast enough to track both low - Earth satellites and ballistic missile s . AEOS can be used simultaneously by many groups or institutions because its light can be channeled through a series of mirrors to seven independent coudé rooms below the telescope . Employing sophisticated sensors that include an adaptive optics system , radiometer , spectrograph , and long - wave infrared imager , the telescope tracks man - made objects in deep space and performs space object identification data collection . AEOS is equipped with an adaptive optics system , the heart of which is a 941 - actuator deformable mirror that can change its shape to remove the atmosphere ' s distorting effects . Scientists are expected to get near diffraction - limited images of space objects . Other equipment at MSSS includes a 1 . 6 - meter telescope , two 1 . 2 - meter telescopes on a common mount , a 0 . 8 - meter beam director / tracker , and a 0 . 6 - meter laser beam director . The telescopes accommodate a wide variety of sensor systems , including imaging systems , conventional and contrast mode photometer s , infrared radiometers , low light level video systems , and acquisition telescopes . In addition to these assets , the site has a machine shop , optics laboratories , and electronics laboratories . A Remote Maui Experimental ( RME ) site at sea level houses additional optics and electronics laboratories . This secondary observation station at Kihei bears IAU code 625 and is located at . Maui High Performance Computing Center ( MHPCC ) . The Maui High Performance Computing Center ( MHPCC ) is an Air Force Research Laboratory center currently managed by the University of Hawaii and is located in the Maui Research and Technology Park in Kihei . The MHPCC is a leading computing resource of the Department of Defense research and development community and operates numerous computer clusters , including a 5 , 120 processor Dell Poweredge cluster named " Jaws " which , as of November 2006 , was the 11th most powerful computing systems in the world . Chartered to sustain a broad base of users in the Department of Defense , government , academic , and commercial communities , MHPCC provides access to parallel computing hardware , advanced software tools and applications , high bandwidth communications , and high performance storage technologies . In addition , MHPCC offers a variety of services from its expert staff , including application support , parallel code development , large system management , and training and education programs .