John T. McGraw, J.T. McGraw and Associates, LLC, Peter Zimmer, JTMA, Mark Ackermann, JTMA,
Keywords: optical telescope wide field SSA TDI GEO LEO uncued
Abstract:
Very wide field of view optical sensors with silicon detectors are being used in multiple survey modes by J. T. McGraw and Associates to provide persistent, affordable surveillance of GEO space to faint limiting magnitudes. Examples include:
- classical staring mode with typical integration times of seconds provided by multiple co-directed sensors to provide a deep mosaic of tens of square degrees per exposure to faint limiting magnitude
- b) step-and-stare observations of several second integration time from which a continuous, overlapped, mosaicked image of GEO space can be provided
- time-delay and integrate (TDI) imagery obtained by driving the telescope in declination and stepping the telescope in the E-W direction, which produces repeated, overlapping (if desired), synoptic images of GEO space.
With current 350 mm diameter optics, detection limits for concentrated observations (e.g. “neighborhood watchâ€) detection limits of magnitude 18 are achieved, and for uncued survey the detection limits are fainter than magnitude 16. Each of these techniques can employ multiple telescopes to obtain search rates in excess of 1000 square degrees per hour, allowing complete uncued CONUS GEO surveillance to +/- 15 degrees latitude every two nighttime hours. With appropriate placement, sensors could provide complete coverage of GEO to these limiting magnitudes at the same survey rate. At each step of the development of this unique capability we discuss the fundamental underlying physical principals of optics, detectors, search modes and siting that enable this survey, a valuable adjunct to RF, radar, GEODSS and other optical surveys of GEO space.
Date of Conference: September 20-23, 2016
Track: Instrumentation & Optical Surveillance