Narasimha Prasad (NASA Langley Research Center), Van Rudd (Lockheed Martin Coherent Technologies), Albert DiMarcantonio (NASA Langley Research Center), Stephen P. Sandford (NASA Langley Research Center)
Keywords: Ladar, Resident Space Objects, Space situational awareness, orbital debris tracking, orbit determination
Abstract:
In this paper, the development of a long range ladar system known as ExoSPEAR at NASA Langley Research Center for tracking rapidly moving resident space objects is discussed. Based on 100 W, nanosecond class, near-IR laser, this ladar system with coherent detection technique is currently being investigated for short dwell time measurements of resident space objects (RSOs) in LEO and beyond for space surveillance applications. This unique ladar architecture is configured using a continuously agile doublet-pulse waveform scheme coupled to a closed-loop tracking and control loop approach to simultaneously achieve mm class range precision and mm/s velocity precision and hence obtain unprecedented track accuracies. Salient features of the design architecture followed by performance simulations illustrating the dependence of range and velocity precision in LEO orbits on ladar power aperture product will be presented. Estimated limits on detectable optical cross sections of RSOs in LEO orbits will be analyzed. The suitability of this ladar for precision orbit determination will be discussed.
Date of Conference: September 9-12, 2014
Track: Poster