Bryce Bennett (Royal Military College of Canada), Thomas Racey
(Royal Military College of Canada), Robert Scott (Defence R&D Canada Ottawa), Brad Wallace
(Defence R&D Canada Ottawa)
Keywords: NROC, Non-Resolved Object Characterization
Abstract:
Defence R&D Canada (DRDC), in partnership with the Royal Military College of Canada, constructed a remotely operated, ground based optical observatory for deep space surveillance, inspired by the RAVEN model of the Maui Space Surveillance System. This sensor was first configured in 2000 and underwent satellite metric accuracy assessment in 2004. Recently, the sensor, located in Kingston, Ontario, was incorporated into the Canadian Surveillance of Space Concept Demonstrator.
This paper presents the results of the analysis of CCD image data reduced to characterize the time dependence of the relative visible magnitudes of deep-space objects. Various streak extraction algorithms were coded, enabling generation and subsequent analysis of the along-track light-curve of RSOs. The algorithms were tested on virtual data, and then used to examine Molniya-class objects whose light-curves exhibit variability over the image exposure durations. Fourier analysis and other time-series comparisons were performed on archived observations made over periods ranging from a single night to more than a year. The results indicate that the observed class of Molniya satellites are temporally resolvable in period of oscillation. The temporal periods appear stable over the initial analysis periods of up to 18 months. Current data will be presented to illustrate the stability of these light curves over the past 6 years.
Date of Conference: September 10-14, 2006
Track: Non-Resolved Object Characterization