Measuring Geosynchronous Satellites from Stellar Appulses with AO

Abstract

Testing our ability to study geosynchronous satellites using adaptive optics on our 3.5 m telescope with a Laser Guide Star (LGS) and without a laser (Natural Guide Star, NGS), we found two satellites in the same small 25"= 125 murad field of view (FOV) over a period of 7.5 minutes using only NGS. Only by tracking our intended target for 23 minutes were we able to ultimately disentangle the objects when they were in the same FOV by comparing trajectories. In addition, over the 23 minutes of intermittent imaging we identified and measured seven background stars as they trailed by, with four others too faint to measure at this time. These stars provided reference positions and magnitudes for the satellites. Overall, we demonstrate that we can time appulses of stars and geosynchronous satellites to an accuracy of 0.33 sec, and positions to 0.067" with respect to the RA and Dec of stars.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA616726

Entities

People

  • Jack Drummond
  • Miles Buckman
  • Odell Reynolds
  • Robert Johnson

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Accuracy
  • Adaptive Optics
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Geosynchronous Orbits
  • Geosynchronous Satellites
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Observatories
  • Optics
  • Space Surveillance
  • Stellar Appulses
  • Telescopes
  • Trajectories

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI).
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Space
  • Space - Satellites
  • Space - Space Objects