Development of an Airborne Common Calibration System

We propose to design and characterize an array of potential candidate reference sources suitable for infrared, visible and near-ultraviolet wavelength sensors that can be used to perform in-flight calibrations of DoD's signatures measurements assets. At Present, no flight-qualified reference sources exist for performing absolute radiometric calibration of these sensors while airborne. To accomplish this task we will first perform a study of DoD's airborne sensors that operate in the 0.2um to 15um wavelength regime and thus determine their in-flight calibration requirements. The instrument operating characteristics determined in this work will serve to define the reference sources needed which, in all probability, will include extended, point and intensity-modulated types. The proposed calibrators will be designed such that they can be installed into a standard SU-16 aircraft instrumentation pod and flown on (or along-side) the target aircraft whose signatures are to be investigated. The principal elements that are to comprise this prototype Airborne Common Calibration System (ACCS) are presented herein. Its design includes provisions for stand-alone operation (no pilot intervention required) and for recording of the important local atmospheric properties needed for post-flight interpretations of the calibration data acquired during airborne operations. This common reference system will fulfill a technology shortfall that presently exists in the evaluation of new and existing sersors intended for use onboard airborne platforms.