Planar Imager
Abstract
The Planar Imager program seeks to disrupt the state-of-the-art in optical sensors by developing a lightweight, compact, affordable optical payload that can be integrated into a ride-share compatible satellite bus with equivalent imaging performance to current commercial conventional optical imaging satellites. This technology will significantly lower the size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) of high-resolution intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) satellites enabling persistent coverage by an affordable satellite constellation and with a rapid reconstitution ability. To achieve this goal, Planar Imager will exploit recent developments in materials science and nanofabrication by maturing small-scale ultra-thin optics demonstrated in the laboratory to meter-scale and demonstrate a proof-of-concept optical system in space. The reduction in optical payload SWAP-C will disrupt the paradigm of costly custom large meter-scale aperture ISR satellites on dedicated launches to satellites with high-performance ISR systems that are ride-share compatible. These compact optical payloads will enable a large number of meter-scale aperture ISR satellites packed into a single launch vehicle fairing, dramatically reducing launch costs as well. A more persistent and pervasive space-based ISR architecture will increase warfighter readiness and lethality. These planar optics will also have applications to any optical imaging system and will impact all areas of optical remote sensing and imaging as well as any system that requires optical components including laser systems. The anticipated transition partner is the Air Force.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- cbb281b914e9d4008ea08527855bb23c