Corbin Cruz, Jacobs; Brent Buckalew, NASA Orbital Debris Program Office; Sue Lederer, NASA Johnson Space Center Orbital Debris Program Office; Kayley Green-Tooney, Texas State University; Paul Hickson, University of British Columbia; Timothy Kennedy, NASA Johnson Space Center Orbital Debris Program Office; Heather Cowardin, NASA Johnson Space Center Orbital Debris Program Office
Keywords: Astronomy, Photometry, Optical, Telescope, Geosynchronous, Survey, GEO, Autonomous, Debris, Imaging
Abstract:
In a focused effort to meet full operational capability for NASAs Eugene Stansbery Meter Class Autonomous Telescope (ES-MCAT), a thorough system characterization analysis was completed. NASAs Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes ES-MCAT as the primary sensor for characterizing the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) environment to acquire photometric data of small, faint debris objects in or near GEO. ES-MCAT is located on Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at nearly 8 degrees South latitude and 15 degrees West longitude. This location provides dark skies suited for faint object observations but is also continuously subject to a harsh environment exposed to volcanic ash and salt spray.
To better assess the overall system performance of the optical instrument, a historical assessment of the systems performance was conducted. This analysis investigated all systematic and optical operational data to determine the overall performance parameters for ES-MCAT.
A complete optical system throughput calculation was performed to determine the optimal filter for observing orbital debris in GEO orbits. The responses of each optical component to the solar spectrum, with atmospheric absorption, were multiplied and integrated to give ES-MCATs total system response for various filters. With the highest flux values, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) r and g were determined to be the optimal filters for ES-MCAT observations. Further analysis with known GEO debris objects enabled the selection of the r filter for characterization of the GEO debris population.
A detailed overview of the optical system throughput, data reduction, photometric and astrometric data, and other system characteristics that define ES-MCAT will be discussed in the subsequent paper.
Date of Conference: September 14-17, 2021
Track: Optical Systems & Instrumentation