Session
Weekday Session 8: Recent Launches
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The Aerospace Corporation’s Rogue-alpha,beta program built and launched two 3-Unit CubeSats in 18-months, each equipped with modified commercial infrared camera payloads, visible context cameras, laser communications and precision pointing capabilities. Launched on November 2, 2019, the two spacecraft (Rogue-alpha and beta) were boosted and released from the International Space Station Cygnus NG-12 robotic resupply spacecraft on January 31, 2020 into a circular 460-km, 52° inclined orbit. The primary Rogue IR sensor is a 1.4-micron band, 640x512 pixel, 28° field of view, InGaAs short wavelength infrared (SWIR) camera. It is accompanied by a panchromatic, 10-megapixel, 37° field of view visible context camera. In addition, the narrow- and wide-field-of-view star sensors may also be utilized as nighttime sensors. During the first two years of spaceflight, the Rogue satellites conducted a series of experiments using both spacecraft to conduct cooperative remote sensing observations and to test the capabilities of the 1.4-micron water overtone band. These included: 1) fore-aft pointing using two spacecraft for stereo observations of cloud structure and altitude, 2) horizon-pointed imaging in all directions relative to the spacecraft orbit (fore, aft, port, and starboard) to maximize the imaged field of view, 3) pre-programmed point-and-stare imaging, 4) nadir-pointed operations for vicarious calibration with other satellites. All of these modes of operation are usually conducted in multi-frame collections at 1-20 frames-per-second for dozens to thousands of frames. During the mission we investigated different modes of collecting data, taking advantage of the evolving orbital spacing of the pair of CubeSats. Initial close satellite spacing allowed along-track fore-aft stereo observations of weather formations, as well as pre-programmed tip-and-queue observations, and sequential point-and-stare experiments aimed at collecting minutes of data on targets of interest. Cloud altitude was measured on weather events by simultaneous stereo observations, and by mono observations using the changing view angles during a constant point along track or slewing during a pass. Observations were collected on hurricanes, typhoons, thunderstorms, monsoon storms, and forecasted tornadic weather. Unique observations of severe wildfires were collected, exploring the capability for our 1.4micron band to detect fires during daytime, and to characterize pyrocumulonimbus clouds. Nighttime observations were also made of human lighting, infrared sources, and moonlight-illuminated clouds, including observations utilizing the Rogue satellites’ star sensors for remote sensing tests. These experiments collectively explored the possibilities for dynamically tasked, high-frame-rate, low-earth-orbit sensors to carry out weather and environmental monitoring missions in ways that differ from traditional scanned or push-broom satellite sensor systems. We will present a summary of our tasking ConOps, observations of weather events and fires, and highlight results and techniques for cloud height characterization by our two CubeSat constellation during its first two years on orbit. Our results with two satellites demonstrate possibilities for future missions using cooperative tasking in larger constellations of dynamically tasked sensors in low Earth orbit.
Remote Sensing Experiments Using the Rogue-alpha,beta CubeSats as a Constellation: High Frame Rate Environmental Observations from Agile, Taskable, Infrared and Visible Sensors in Low Earth Orbit
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The Aerospace Corporation’s Rogue-alpha,beta program built and launched two 3-Unit CubeSats in 18-months, each equipped with modified commercial infrared camera payloads, visible context cameras, laser communications and precision pointing capabilities. Launched on November 2, 2019, the two spacecraft (Rogue-alpha and beta) were boosted and released from the International Space Station Cygnus NG-12 robotic resupply spacecraft on January 31, 2020 into a circular 460-km, 52° inclined orbit. The primary Rogue IR sensor is a 1.4-micron band, 640x512 pixel, 28° field of view, InGaAs short wavelength infrared (SWIR) camera. It is accompanied by a panchromatic, 10-megapixel, 37° field of view visible context camera. In addition, the narrow- and wide-field-of-view star sensors may also be utilized as nighttime sensors. During the first two years of spaceflight, the Rogue satellites conducted a series of experiments using both spacecraft to conduct cooperative remote sensing observations and to test the capabilities of the 1.4-micron water overtone band. These included: 1) fore-aft pointing using two spacecraft for stereo observations of cloud structure and altitude, 2) horizon-pointed imaging in all directions relative to the spacecraft orbit (fore, aft, port, and starboard) to maximize the imaged field of view, 3) pre-programmed point-and-stare imaging, 4) nadir-pointed operations for vicarious calibration with other satellites. All of these modes of operation are usually conducted in multi-frame collections at 1-20 frames-per-second for dozens to thousands of frames. During the mission we investigated different modes of collecting data, taking advantage of the evolving orbital spacing of the pair of CubeSats. Initial close satellite spacing allowed along-track fore-aft stereo observations of weather formations, as well as pre-programmed tip-and-queue observations, and sequential point-and-stare experiments aimed at collecting minutes of data on targets of interest. Cloud altitude was measured on weather events by simultaneous stereo observations, and by mono observations using the changing view angles during a constant point along track or slewing during a pass. Observations were collected on hurricanes, typhoons, thunderstorms, monsoon storms, and forecasted tornadic weather. Unique observations of severe wildfires were collected, exploring the capability for our 1.4micron band to detect fires during daytime, and to characterize pyrocumulonimbus clouds. Nighttime observations were also made of human lighting, infrared sources, and moonlight-illuminated clouds, including observations utilizing the Rogue satellites’ star sensors for remote sensing tests. These experiments collectively explored the possibilities for dynamically tasked, high-frame-rate, low-earth-orbit sensors to carry out weather and environmental monitoring missions in ways that differ from traditional scanned or push-broom satellite sensor systems. We will present a summary of our tasking ConOps, observations of weather events and fires, and highlight results and techniques for cloud height characterization by our two CubeSat constellation during its first two years on orbit. Our results with two satellites demonstrate possibilities for future missions using cooperative tasking in larger constellations of dynamically tasked sensors in low Earth orbit.
