Tracking of space objects using massively parallel processing

Richard Marsh; Jack G. Rudd; Susan G. Thomas

doi:10.1117/12.157771

22 October 1993 Tracking of space objects using massively parallel processing

Richard Marsh, Jack G. Rudd, Susan G. Thomas

Proceedings Volume 1954, Signal and Data Processing of Small Targets 1993; (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.157771
Event: Optical Engineering and Photonics in Aerospace Sensing, 1993, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The space track catalog of satellites in orbit is generally maintained using analytic methods. New technology developments in the area of parallel processing provide the capability to apply more exact methods to determine and maintain the ephemerides of a larger number of space objects more precisely. Space object tracking accuracy is becoming increasingly important in space programs such as the Space Station, where the collision hazard is critical, and for military application requiring precise positioning of satellites. Affordable massively parallel processing architectures will soon be available to address this problem. We expect that before long the number of processing elements in a single affordable box will approach or exceed the number of satellites in orbit. In this paper we consider algorithms and architectures for processing a large number of space objects in a parallel sense. These improvements will enable the tracking of many small objects with precision and will improve the confidence with which collision hazards can be assessed. In addition, as sensor capabilities are improved through technology upgrades, the accuracy of these computational methods will continue to exceed the precision of the measurements.

Citation Download Citation

Richard Marsh, Jack G. Rudd, and Susan G. Thomas "Tracking of space objects using massively parallel processing", Proc. SPIE 1954, Signal and Data Processing of Small Targets 1993, (22 October 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.157771

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