Advanced, Integrated Multi-sensor System for Space Situation Awareness (AIMS for SSA)

This is a Phase II SBIR proposal to develop an advanced, integrated multi-sensor system for application in space situation awareness. The proposed system incorporates laser tracking technology with advanced optical imaging and infrared search and track technologies to produce an integrated multi-sensor system for space object detection, tracking, characterization, discrimination, and event and threat detection. The proposed integrated system will use imaging technology with active target illumination allowing its operation in both day and night and for “dark pass” tracking of space objects through the Earth’s shadow. Additionally, active illumination provides a means for optical signal gating, which can greatly enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in an acquired image. System operation with multiple wavelengths to acquire high-quality multi-spectral images of space objects will improve the discrimination capabilities, aiding in target identification. The resulting ability to improve the diagnostic quality of such images by exploiting the entire data set will greatly enhance the capabilities of present imaging systems. In addition, the operational principles of the proposed system can significantly improve capabilities in free space communication, as well as in ranging, designation and retrieval of spectral, photogrammetric and polarimetric data from a target.