Jeff Aristoff, Numerica Corporation; Neil Dhingra, Numerica Corporation; Alex Ferris, Numerica Corporation; Austin Hariri, Numerica Corporation; Joshua Horwood, Numerica Corporation; Ari Larson, Numerica Corporation; Tyler Lyons, Numerica Corporation; Jeff Shaddix, Numerica Corporation; Navraj Singh, Numerica Corporation; Kevin Wilson, Numerica Corporation
Keywords: Space Situational Awareness, Data Fusion, Sensor Tasking and Scheduling, Small Aperture Wide Field of View Optical Systems, Small Autonomous Telescope Systems
Abstract:
Space operations centers and satellite operators are continually being challenged with maintaining situational awareness on a growing number of resident space objects and with protecting key assets from hazards and emerging threats. This trend necessitates pursuing multiple non-traditional approaches to not only free-up sensor/operator/analyst resources, but also to expand one’s ability to characterize the evolving and dynamic space environment. To help address this need, Numerica Corporation has combined advanced algorithms, high-performance software, and a newly designed and deployed global network of small telescopes to demonstrate a responsive, robust, and affordable commercial deep-space tracking system. The network consists of both small aperture, wide field-of-view sensors that provide persistent coverage of a large swath of the night sky, and medium aperture, fully-taskable telescopes that provide increased detectability and resolution with a smaller field of view. This paper provides an overview of the Numerica Telescope Network (NTN) and describes how it is being used to maintain an independent catalog of objects in geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) and in other deep-space orbital regimes, as well as how it can be used to fill tactical needs through a full tasking, collection, processing, exploitation, and dissemination pipeline.
Date of Conference: September 11-14, 2018
Track: Optical Systems Instrumentation