Real-time Space Object Capture and Handoff Using Wide Field of View Telescope Development at AMOS
- Paper number
IAC-06-B6.1.08
- Author
Dr. Thomas Kelecy, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Paul Kervin, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. John Africano, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Bryan Law, United States
- Coauthor
Mr. Paul Sydney, United States
- Coauthor
Dr. Chris Sabol, United States
- Year
2006
- Abstract
As the population of space objects continues to grow, so does the interest in the development of Wide Field Of View (WFOV) optical sensors. Wide field of view capability greatly reduces the maximum time to search for and detect objects in coverage while greatly increasing our ability to survey space, and thus can provide a valuable resource to the space surveillance mission. Timely capture and hand-off of “lost” or newly discovered objects between sensors is a key capability necessary for successful orbit characterization. The Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing (AMOS) site has refurbished a Baker-Nunn telescope, called Phoenix, with field-flattening optics, a modern CCD camera, and control software similar to what is used in Raven telescopes. The result is a 6.8 by 6.8 degree field of view optical sensor. In addition to Phoenix, AMOS has developed a Raven-class telescope with an approximate 0.5 by 0.5 degree field of view and has the capability of producing sub-arcsecond metrics. This paper presents the development and implementation of a process that takes an object “captured” in the WFOV sensor field-of-view, and hands off an approximation of the orbit to the high accuracy optical sensor in near real-time (order of minutes). The system architecture is outlined, and the results of a real data hand-off of a GEO object between Phoenix and the AMOS Raven (a contributing Space Command sensor) are presented. The capture and hand-off performance results will be used to outline requirements for an operational implementation.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-B6.1.08.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.