Calibration Objects for Generating Simultaneous EO, IR, and RF Signatures

Low cost, low stowed volume calibration objects with known EO, IR, and RF signatures are essential to ensure precise and accurate calibration of Space Object Sensor Identification (SOSI) systems.  In the proposed work, technologies and designs are being developed to enable space-based calibration structures to exhibit precisely known simultaneous EO, IR, and RF signatures.  Different outer surface optical coatings, internal heat generators, and highly reflective RF reflectors will be studied for their properties.  Knowing these material properties to a high degree of accuracy and knowing the precise geometry of the calibration structures will enable the determination of the signatures very precisely.  These will be applied to various shaped calibration structures needed for the calibration of the US SOSI systems. BENEFIT: LGarde is raising the technology maturity of calibration structures capable of generating simultaneous EO, IR, and RF signatures because these objects can be used by the U.S. to precisely calibrate ground and space-based sensors.  LGarde is using its lightweight, low stowed volume technology to bear down on this effort: it uses deployable inflatable and inflatable-rigidizable materials and structures.  The use of calibration structures with precisely known signatures will enhance the accuracy and precision of our Space Object Sensor Identification (SOSI) systems.  An enhanced US SOSI system will give the US the capability to maintain its space capabilities to execute space control missions.  It will give the U.S. freedom of action in space and support its defensive space control missions by providing the capability to detect, characterize, and identify an attack and timely determine the identity of the attacker and its capabilities.  When this objective is attained, LGarde envisions the Air Force, MDA, and the other branches of the US Intelligence community to be potential customers of this technology