Study of Potiential Spacecraft Target Near-Earth Asteroids

Abstract

In support of AFRL's space vehicles directorate I conducted a series of observations and analysis. Beginning with three visits to AFRL/VS at Kirtland AFB, NM lab personnel led by Dr. Babu Singaraju we identified a critical space supenonty objective was the ability to detect and study small objects (microsatellites) at Geosynchronous altitudes. The PI (Simon Worden) in concert with faculty and staff at the University of Arizona and the Hawaii High Performance Computing Center were able to plan a series of observations using the Steward Observatory MMT telescope and its Adaptive Optics system of several large commercial Geosynchronous satellites. This data was additionally post-processed using methods developed at the University of Arizona and the Hawaii High Performance Computing Center. These results showed that small microsatellites (less than 1 square meter) could be easily detected at GEO altitudes. Further work to refine these methods have been proposed for direct AFRL funding.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA444533

Entities

People

  • Simon P. Worden

Organizations

  • University of Arizona

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adaptive Optics
  • Altitude
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Earth Orbits
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Geosynchronous Satellites
  • High Performance Computing
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Microsatellites
  • Observation
  • Observatories
  • Optics
  • Satellite Buses
  • Small Satellites
  • Space Objects
  • Space Systems
  • Spacecraft

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering.
  • Astronomy and Astrophysics.
  • Research Science/Academic Research

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Space Objects