OPTICAL CALIBRATION ANALYSIS OF THE U. S. NAVAL SPACE SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM,
Abstract
A preliminary optical calibration of the U.S. Naval Space Surveillance System was made in 1961 using graphical methods. Since then, calibration has been continued using better equipment and data reduction methods to determine more precisely the characteristics of the system. It is shown that the 108-MHz system studied is capable of measuring angles within a standard deviation of 1/2 min of arc at zenith. Electronic calibration methods used in setting up the 108-MHz system are shown to have a mean accuracy of approximately 3.5 percent of a wavelength for baselines up through 520 ft in length. Bias errors for baselines of 1040 ft and longer are larger than for the shorter baselines and must be corrected to obtain maximum accuracy from the system. Baselines in the range of 16 to 520 ft have (for Echo passes) a mean standard deviation of plus or minus 0.034, which is independent of baseline length and angle of arrival and is internal to the system. The random error for longer baselines increases until it reaches a mean standard deviation of plus or minus 0.09 for the 5200-ft baseline. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 25, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0633701
Entities
People
- L. O. Hayden
- T. B. Mccaskill
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory