MINIATURE IMAGING PHOTOMETER FOR AURORA AND AIRGLOW

KEO CONSULTANTS WILL DESIGN A MINIATURE, EASILY PORTABLE IMAGING PHOTOMETER CAPABLE OF PERFORMING HIGH-SENSITIVITY MONOCHROMATIC MEASUREMENTS OF LOW-LIGHT-LEVEL AURORAL AND AIRGLOW EMISSIONS. PHASE I EFFORTS WILL INVOLVE DEFINING REQUIRED OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS (THROUGH CONSULTATION WITH AIR FORCE RESEARCHERS), AND THEN THE APPLICATION OF OUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA TO OPTIMIZE OPTICS, IMAGE INTENSIFICATION, CCD DETECTION, AND IMAGE ACQUISITION AND RECORDING SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE, SO AS TO BEST MEET SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVES. THIS CONCEPTURAL DEVELOPMENT WILL IDENTIFY KEY HARDWARE COMPONENTS, AND INCLUDE DOCUMENTED RATIONALE FOR OUR SELECTIONS. NO HARDWARE WILL BE PURCHASED IN PHASE I, BUT DESIGN WILL BE TAKEN TO A POINT WHEREBY WE COULD BEGIN IMMEDIATE PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION IN PHASE II. WE ENVISAGE THIS EFFORT AS PRIMARILY DIRECTED TOWARDS A GROUND-BASED INSTRUMENT, OR ONE ALSO SUITABLE FOR USE IN RESEARCH AIRCRAFT. WE WILL ALSO STUDY WITH AIR FORCE RESEARCHERS POSSIBLE SPACE SHUTTLE OPPORTUNITIES, AND IF REQUESTED WILL PURSUE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH SPACE QUALIFICATION, AND ESTIMATE COSTS. WE WOULD EXPECT ANY SHUTTLE INSTRUMENT WOULD HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED SEPARATELY, BASED ON EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF THE GROUND-BASED INSTRUMENT.