Miniature Star Sensor Using Camera-on-a-Chip" CMOS Arrays for Daytime Stellar Imaging"

"Microcosm, with Eastman Kodak as a subcontractor, proposes to design and develop anew star sensor capable of viewing stars in daylight from sea level based on anoptical head designed by Microcosm and the Kodak DIGITAL SCIENCE CMOS array whichprovides enhanced responsiveness in the near IR. Optical requirements for daylightstellar imaging will be developed by Kodak using image chain models that incorporateatmospheric haze, Sun illumination angles, seasonal variations, and stellarcharacteristics. The sensor head uses all reflective optics to avoid any IRabsorption. The sensor has a small opening and narrow field of view to allowextensive light baffling to minimize sky glow. The Kodak array has a highsensitivity to compensate for the small aperture and extensive on-chip processingto allow multiple techniques to pick out stars from the bright background.Among the approaches to be evaluated are MEMS micro-mirrors to provide skybackground removal by chopping, high dynamic range (20 bits) A-to-D conversionfor digital signal accumulation, and an enhanced microlens to provide a higheffective fill factor and minimum cross-talk. Phase I will refine the systemrequirements and define the baseline approach. Phase II will develop, fabricate,and test a complete prototype sensor. The commercial applications are numerous. The simple design, high accuracy anddynamic range, low weight, low power, and low recurring cost makes the sensorapplicable t