The relocated Australian/U.S. C-Band Space Surveillance Radar System — which will be operated from Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station near Exmouth, Western Australia — has reached Full Operational Capability (FOC).

Australian defence minister Marise Payne made the announcement on 7th March.

The system, which operates as a sensor node in the US global Space Surveillance Network, is the first low-earth orbit space surveillance network sensor in the Southern Hemisphere. It provides both southern and eastern hemisphere coverage, tracking space debris and satellites.

The C-Band Space Surveillance Radar System was previously based in Antigua where it was used by the U.S. for telemetry tracking of space launches from Cape Canaveral. It was gradually relocated to Harold E. Holt starting in 2014. The 60t radar and its 10m dish were transported to Australian on two USAF C-5 Galaxys and an RAAF C-17.