Earlier infrared observations had been made by both space-based and ground-based observatory.
This is accomplished by using the satellite in conjunction with ground-based observatories and interferometry techniques.
Optical and radio astronomy can be performed with ground-based observatories, because the atmosphere is relatively transparent at the wavelengths being detected.
For optical telescopes, most ground-based observatories are located far from major centers of population, to avoid the effects of light pollution.
Lafrenière adapted an image reconstruction technique that was first developed for ground-based observatories.
Because it orbits outside the Earth's atmosphere, it sees things ground-based observatories can't.
They alerted eight other orbiting and ground-based observatories to record the event.
It will be capable of looking seven times more deeply into space and with greater clarity than the best ground-based observatory.
Any ground-based observatory that had two mirrors in preparation would have compared the two and taken the best.
This program, using ground-based observatories, is budgeted at $4.1 million a year through 2012.