On-orbit Calibration of Staring Imaging Sensors Using Innovative Techniques and Field-deployable Instrumentation with High Radiometric and Temporal Se

ABSTRACT: SSI proposes to develop a novel satellite tracking system with a laser projection assembly to provide a means to calibrate satellite imaging systems while they are on orbit.The instrument will use a laser to create known irradiance levels at the satellite.The beam intensity will be able to be modulated so that temporal waveforms of interest to the government can be created for testing the imaging systems.SSI will develop a verifiable calibration approach and make the system man-portable so it can be deployed at locations around the world as needed.; BENEFIT: The benefit of this program will be to give the government a means to verify sensor performance and processing algorithms for satellite systems that are on-orbit.Being laser based, it will be easy and inexpensive to carry out frequent tests of the satellites.By making the systems portable, they will be able to be deployed in multiple locations so satellites in different parts of the geostationary belt can be tested easily.The proposed approach will work with satellites in low earth orbit as well as geostationary orbit as called for in the solicitation.This capability to work with multiple orbital regimes will allow for future commercial applications such as providing calibration reference sources for remote sensing and imaging systems.