 The telescope is capable of slew rates of 10 degrees per second, enabling it to observe artificial objects in low Earth orbit.The telescope is also used for asteroid studies and observations of other solar system objects.The MRO 2.4-meter achieved first light on October 31, 2006, and began regular operations on September 1, 2008, after a commissioning phase that included tracking near-Earth asteroid 2007 WD5 for NASA.