Passive Range Estimation from Angle-only Sensor Data (Acq Pointing & Tracking)

The utility of passive electro-optical, infrared (EO/IR) systems to contribute to closing the fire control loop to enable successful engagement of threat ballistic missiles has been anticipated for over a decade. Investments in the Airborne Laser (ABL) have begun to reap dividends as that program systematically addresses the myriad of technical challenges necessary to increase readiness of critical elements and demonstrate the efficacy of a nearly autonomous, mostly passive, mobile boost phase intercept capability. Operation of the ABL requires a predicted location of the threat so that a fire control solution can be determined. Passive EOIR systems can provide the solution to the challenge presented to ABL through a technology known as monocular passive ranging (MPR). Passive EO/IR based MPR has been reported on in the open literature for over two decades , , and more recently researched through the development, operation and test of sensors designed for this purpose . Applying field proven expertise to design, develop and deliver instrumentation and sensor systems that exploit a variety of phenomenological features, SciTec proposes to complete the research for a dual mode infrared staring-spectral, MPR enabled system that matures use of the MWIR phenomenological features through a robust multi-parameter fusion process