Applying electro-optical space surveillance technology to the detection of near-Earth asteroids

Peter D. Tennyson; Eugene W. Rork; Daniel F. Kostishack

doi:10.1117/12.176813

Translator Disclaimer

1 June 1994 Applying electro-optical space surveillance technology to the detection of near-Earth asteroids

Peter D. Tennyson, Eugene W. Rork, Daniel F. Kostishack

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 2198, Instrumentation in Astronomy VIII; (1994) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.176813
Event: 1994 Symposium on Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation for the 21st Century, 1994, Kailua, Kona, HI, United States

Abstract

The electro-optical space surveillance (EOSS) technology program at MIT/Lincoln Laboratory develops advanced electro-optical technology for space and missile surveillance. This advanced technology includes visible CCD focal plane arrays and cameras, mid-wave IR (MWIR) Shottky barrier focal planes and cameras, and the detection processing algorithms and processors to optimize the use of these focal plane arrays. Some of these EOSS technologies are highly suited to the detection of faint near earth objects. A near-earth asteroid surveillance system has been designed to utilize recently developed technology and existing telescopes to meet the performance requirements outlined in the NASA SPACEGUARD Study (Morrison, 1992). A detailed model was developed to evaluate the expected detection performance of this system and the proposed Spaceguard system. The components of the designed system have been tested as part of routine device evaluation and field measurements. Results indicate that the proposed system can meet the performance objectives spelled out in the spaceguard study at lower cost and risk than the proposed spaceguard system and with existing technology.

Citation Download Citation

Peter D. Tennyson, Eugene W. Rork, and Daniel F. Kostishack "Applying electro-optical space surveillance technology to the detection of near-Earth asteroids", Proc. SPIE 2198, Instrumentation in Astronomy VIII, (1 June 1994); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.176813

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE