System and method for imaging an astronomical object from space

A method of imaging an albedo of an object in space, the method comprising:

• arranging an imaging system in a spacecraft with a first orientation facing the object,
• wherein the imaging system comprises a lensless imager configured with the first orientation to capture images of the object,
• wherein the lensless imager includes an image sensor and an optical mask positioned between the image sensor and the object;
• and
• wherein the imaging system is orbiting around the object;
• maintaining the imaging system in the first orientation during a first imaging data capture session;
• capturing a first set of images at a uniform predetermined interval with the imaging system during the first imaging data capture session of a predetermined duration;
• and
• computationally deriving the albedo of the object based on image data stored in the first set of images and reference image data stored in reference images of the object that were captured using a lensed imaging system positioned in the first orientation in the spacecraft or a different spacecraft,
• wherein the image data stored in the first set of images is time-correlated to the reference image data stored in the reference images.

An imaging system housed in a spacecraft, the imaging system comprising:

• a lensed imager comprising a first image sensor and an optical lens, wherein the lensed imager is positioned in a first orientation,
• a lensless imager comprising a second image sensor and an optical mask positioned between the second image sensor and an object in space,
• wherein the lensless imager is positioned in the first orientation;
• wherein the lensed imager and the lensless imager are configured to simultaneously capture a time-correlated image of an identical location on the object, and
• wherein the lensed imager and lensless imager orbit the object;
• and
• a processor coupled to the lensed imager and the lensless imager,
• wherein the processor is configured to process image data from multiple time-correlated images from the lensed imager and the lensless imager to computationally derive an albedo of the object.