Eileen Ryan (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology), William H. Ryan
(Magdalena Ridge Observatory, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)
Keywords: NROC, Non-resolved Object Characterization
Abstract:
The Magdalena Ridge Observatory’s (MRO) fast-tracking 2.4-meter telescope is located at 10,612 feet atop the Magdalena Mountains in Central New Mexico, and is presently transitioning to an operational status. The MRO 2.4-meter is one of the largest telescopes in the world that has as its primary mission the physical characterization of small bodies (both natural and artificial) in the Solar System. The 2.4-meter’s control system is designed to provide convenient and accurate non-sidereal tracking, and the telescope is capable of rapid movement (slew rates are up to 15 degrees/sec) making it an ideal instrument for non-resolved imaging of low-Earth orbit (LEO) space objects. The 2.4-meter telescope can accommodate a wide variety of instrument systems, and support the fabrication, integration, and operation of new instrumentation as well as the development of new and innovative techniques in space object identification studies. Currently, we are investigating various methods to enhance and improve existing capabilities for unique discrimination of resident space objects. The temporal brightness variations (i.e., lightcurves) of unresolved targets such as artificial satellites can be used to develop a powerful tool for general characterization studies. Analysis of these temporal signatures permits the extraction of pertinent distinguishing features, and may also be an indicator for a change in general health status of a satellite. Payne (2005) and Gregory (2005) have demonstrated what can be obtained by adding multi-color information to traditional photometric intensity measurements for geosynchronous satellites. Our current focus is to introduce supplementary discriminators, including polarization data and simultaneously obtained spectral and temporal data. We will discuss new methods for incorporating such data, with a specific emphasis toward LEOs as our target objects. Our observing strategy will be to choose a statistically robust target set with know properties, obtain standard lightcurve intensity information, and then analyze the utility of adding the additional discerning information. We will also employ predictive modeling for assessing the usefulness of the obtained data for satellite classification and for the identification and interpretation of any anomalous signatures.
%Z Gregory, S., 2005, Comparisons between Simulated and Observed Color Photometric Signatures of Geosynchronous Satellites, Proceedings of the 2005 AMOS Technical Conference, Hawaii, p.146
Payne, T., 2005, Utility of a Multi-Color Photometric Database, Proceedings of the 2005 AMOS Technical Conference, Hawaii, p.137
Date of Conference: September 12-15, 2007
Track: Non-resolved Object Characterization