Session
Technical Session IV: Bold New Missions Using Cutting Edge Technology
Abstract
There is a continuing desire to minimize the fabrication, launch, and operational costs of Earth-observing satellites, while still maintaining their high-resolution capabilities. Micro-satellites have been suggested as a method for obtaining these results using several different configurations; such as conventional filled aperture optics, distributed aperture systems, constellations and tethers. The ability of the different spacecraft types to achieve images of a specified resolution and quality are examined, as are their affects on the mass and size of the spacecraft. However, first a minimum spacecraft size is discussed and formulated for missions of this and similar types. This is used as a first order analysis to determine when micro-satellites may be applicable to a specific mission. These results, and those from the analysis of the different spacecraft types are then used to determine when, and if, it is beneficial to use a micro-satellite over a more conventional spacecraft design. It will be demonstrated that distributed aperture systems and deployable primary mirrors are generally the best approaches for highresolution- imaging micro-satellites, but that distributed aperture systems are useful when replacing very large primary mirrors.
A Feasibility Study of Micro-Satellites for Earth Observation
There is a continuing desire to minimize the fabrication, launch, and operational costs of Earth-observing satellites, while still maintaining their high-resolution capabilities. Micro-satellites have been suggested as a method for obtaining these results using several different configurations; such as conventional filled aperture optics, distributed aperture systems, constellations and tethers. The ability of the different spacecraft types to achieve images of a specified resolution and quality are examined, as are their affects on the mass and size of the spacecraft. However, first a minimum spacecraft size is discussed and formulated for missions of this and similar types. This is used as a first order analysis to determine when micro-satellites may be applicable to a specific mission. These results, and those from the analysis of the different spacecraft types are then used to determine when, and if, it is beneficial to use a micro-satellite over a more conventional spacecraft design. It will be demonstrated that distributed aperture systems and deployable primary mirrors are generally the best approaches for highresolution- imaging micro-satellites, but that distributed aperture systems are useful when replacing very large primary mirrors.
