Parallel Signal Processing For Optical Satellite Detection

G. J. Mayer; M. J. MacDonald

doi:10.1117/12.932527

30 July 1982 Parallel Signal Processing For Optical Satellite Detection

G. J. Mayer, M. J. MacDonald

Proceedings Volume 0298, Real-Time Signal Processing IV; (1982) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.932527
Event: 25th Annual Technical Symposium, 1981, San Diego, United States

Abstract

An optical satellite detection system can provide a high scan coverage rate if the telescope is continuously scanning the sky, rather than stepping and staring. Detection of satellites with such a system requires that the detection processor have a high throughput rate to keep up with the telescope scan. The IMC Signal Processor, described in this paper, has been developed to do this. The high throughput rate has been achieved by dividing the focal plane imaging into five fields-of-view, processing these fields-of-view in a parallel signal processing architecture, and detecting satellites on a several line basis rather than waiting for frame-to-frame comparisons. Although this processor has been developed for use with a particular telescope, the concepts developed here can be applied to a more general detection problem. The narrow (18.3 arc minute) width of the scan will still result in a high scan coverage rate (300 square degrees per hour), and will hopefully detect geo-synchronous satellites with magnitudes as dim as 16-18 My while maintaining a low (4.8 * 10-3) false alarm per second rate. The signal processing considerations and processor algorithms are discussed. The processor hardware is described, recent laboratory results given, and future plans described.

Citation Download Citation

G. J. Mayer and M. J. MacDonald "Parallel Signal Processing For Optical Satellite Detection", Proc. SPIE 0298, Real-Time Signal Processing IV, (30 July 1982); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.932527

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