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US 12,620,116 B2Granted
Systems and methods for the accurate tracking of orbital objects
AssigneeJASR Systems, LLC
InventorsBrett Alverson Spivey, Christopher Sexton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure achieves accurate tracking of sunlit orbital objects, including small, dim orbital debris, using a ground-based telescope and detector which tracks the orbital object. The angular position of the orbital object relative to background celestial objects is accurately determined over a trajectory, allowing accurate determination of the orbit parameters.
Claims29
A system for tracking an orbital object, the system comprising:
- a ground-based telescope coupled to a tracking gimbal;
- a camera coupled to the telescope;
- wherein the telescope and the camera are collectively operable for acquiring image frames of a solar illuminated orbital object tracked by the telescope and the camera;
- and
- a memory and a processor coupled to the camera storing instructions executed to determine a location of the orbital object within the camera field vs. time;
- wherein the memory and the processor further store instructions executed to compare an observed orientation of celestial background objects in the camera field while the solar illuminated orbital object is tracked by the telescope and the camera with an accurately registered database of true celestial background data;
- wherein the memory and the processor further store instructions executed to use the comparison of the observed orientation of the celestial background objects with the true celestial background data to correct the orbital object's determined location vs. time;
- and
- wherein the solar illuminated orbital object moves with respect to the celestial background objects in the camera field and the tracking gimbal of the telescope is locked onto the solar illuminated orbital object and moves with the solar illuminated orbital object in real time.
6 more elements
A method for tracking an orbital object, the method comprising:
- providing a ground-based telescope coupled to a tracking gimbal;
- providing a camera coupled to the telescope;
- wherein the telescope and the camera are collectively operable for acquiring image frames of a solar illuminated orbital object tracked by the telescope and the camera;
- determining a location of the orbital object within a camera field vs. time;
- comparing an observed orientation of celestial background objects in the camera field while the solar illuminated orbital object is tracked by the telescope and the camera with an accurately registered database of true celestial background data;
- and
- using the comparison of the observed orientation of the celestial background objects with the true celestial background data to correct the orbital object's determined location vs. time;
- wherein the solar illuminated orbital object moves with respect to the celestial background objects in the camera field and the tracking gimbal of the telescope is locked onto the solar illuminated orbital object and moves with the solar illuminated orbital object in real time.
5 more elements
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored in a memory and executed by a processor to carry out steps for tracking an orbital object, the steps comprising:
- acquiring image frames of a solar illuminated orbital object tracked with a ground-based telescope and a camera;
- determining a location of the orbital object within a camera field vs. time;
- comparing an observed orientation of celestial background objects in the camera field while the solar illuminated orbital object is tracked by the telescope and the camera with an accurately registered database of true celestial background data;
- and
- using the comparison of the observed orientation of the celestial background objects with the true celestial background data to correct the orbital object's determined location vs. time;
- wherein the solar illuminated orbital object moves with respect to the celestial background objects in the camera field and the tracking gimbal of the telescope is locked onto the solar illuminated orbital object and moves with the solar illuminated orbital object in real time.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.