Optical Sensor Suite for Anchoring Debris Models

The Missile Defense Agency is seeking debris ejection data during the post burn-out period of a solid rocket motor in an exoatmospheric environment for the development and verification of analytic models. Currently little is understood of debris ejection during this phase of the solid rocket burn. Control Vision, Inc. proposes developing a sensor suite containing an infrared microbolometer-based focal plane array and a high resolution visible camera. A third optical sensor will be developed which will provide in-situ scene corrections via two-color temperature and high temporal resolution velocity measurements. The goal of the Phase II program is a flight ready sensor suite capable of debris measurement during a solid rocket burn.