Coherent Laser Radiometric Measurements of LEO Satellites.
Abstract
The US Air Force recently completed the Floodbeam Experiment, recording the first ever coherent laser returns from non-augmented low-earth orbit satellites. Illumination was performed during terminator periods (the satellite was sunlit while the experiment site was in darkness). This allowed use of a visible tracking system for good performance against distant and dim targets. A coherent, pulsed, near-infrared laser was used to illuminate 35 different satellites at the Starfire Optical Range (SOR), near Albuquerque, NM. The 1 meter clear aperture Starfire Beam Director (SBD) was used to transmit pulses at 117 Hsubz repetition rate. A low-noise IR camera collected speckle returns at a re-imaged pupil plane of the Starfire 1.5 meter telescope. ABS: Results include first ever resolved satellite whole-body speckles. Radiometric data are consistent with calculations, and exhibit occasional glinting. Depolarization data were obtained by comparing energy in the returns corresponding to the outgoing linear polarization in addition to the cross polarization. Depolarization data represent losses to a coherent imaging system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 17, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA295001
Entities
People
- David G. Voelz
- David H. Stone
- Douglas B. Rider
- Kathy J. Schulze
- William Richard