This article presents a method for adapting the TPL-1 telescopic rangefinder for photometric observations of artificial Earth satellites (AES). By integrating a ZWO ASI294MM Pro camera and a ""Jupiter-21M"" lens onto the telescope’s mount while retaining its original tracking capabilities, the system achieves high-precision photometric measurements without requiring expensive astronomical equipment. The custom-designed mounting mechanism ensures stable alignment and minimizes vibrations, allowing for prolonged observation sessions with reliable data acquisition. The study demonstrates the system’s effectiveness through observations of several satellites, including ERS-2, ADEOS-II, and ALOS, each exhibiting distinct photometric signatures. The results reveal periodic brightness variations, rotational dynamics, and reflective properties of these objects, with measurement accuracy comparable to professional setups. The adapted setup proves particularly valuable for educational purposes, space debris monitoring, and satellite behavior analysis, offering a cost-effective alternative to specialized instruments. This work highlights the potential of repurposing military-grade optics for scientific applications, bridging the gap between amateur and professional astronomy. Future enhancements could focus on automation and advanced data processing techniques to further expand the system’s capabilities.

Keywords: photometry, artificial satellites, TPL-1 telescope, equipment adaptation, light curves, space monitoring