Session

Session X: Advanced Sensors

Abstract

The Beijing-1 mission was launched at the end of 2005, and has commenced routine operations as a highresolution mapping mission. The space segment comprises a small 168kg satellite carrying a panchromatic imaging instrument providing 4-metre Ground Sampling Distance with 24km swath. This is in addition to a wideangle multi-spectral camera with 32-metre GSD and 600km swath as carried by the other satellites within the Disaster Monitoring Constellation[1,2,3] The spacecraft provides a large data storage capacity with solid-state storage augmented by hard drives modified for use in space, allowing the instrument to map long 3000km swaths. A software configurable image compressor and high speed X-band downlink permit both store and forward, as well as real-time downlinking. Finally, a high degree of agility permits the spacecraft to access a 600km wide field-of-regard. The 4-metre instrument is a compact on-axis telescope designed specifically so that it can be carried by a small satellite. It employs an athermal carbon fibre composite structure to provide good stability, and permits on-orbit adjustment of focus. These design choices for the telescope yield a cost effective solution and the ability to deal with a large temperature range without active thermal control, which significantly eases the satellite design and operating complexity.

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Aug 17th, 1:29 PM

An Advanced High Resolution Optical Sensor for Small Satellite Mapping Missions

The Beijing-1 mission was launched at the end of 2005, and has commenced routine operations as a highresolution mapping mission. The space segment comprises a small 168kg satellite carrying a panchromatic imaging instrument providing 4-metre Ground Sampling Distance with 24km swath. This is in addition to a wideangle multi-spectral camera with 32-metre GSD and 600km swath as carried by the other satellites within the Disaster Monitoring Constellation[1,2,3] The spacecraft provides a large data storage capacity with solid-state storage augmented by hard drives modified for use in space, allowing the instrument to map long 3000km swaths. A software configurable image compressor and high speed X-band downlink permit both store and forward, as well as real-time downlinking. Finally, a high degree of agility permits the spacecraft to access a 600km wide field-of-regard. The 4-metre instrument is a compact on-axis telescope designed specifically so that it can be carried by a small satellite. It employs an athermal carbon fibre composite structure to provide good stability, and permits on-orbit adjustment of focus. These design choices for the telescope yield a cost effective solution and the ability to deal with a large temperature range without active thermal control, which significantly eases the satellite design and operating complexity.