Space-based asteroid detection and monitoring system

An apparatus for detecting bodies near a celestial object, said apparatus comprising:

• means, disposed in orbit about said celestial object, for forming a first and a second image of at least a portion of the celestial sphere about said celestial object, said means for forming adapted to permit forming said second image at a time after said forming of said first image;
• and
• means for differencing said first and second images to produce a resultant image;
• wherein:
• said means for imaging is a pair of linear optical arrays, the elements of said arrays being generally disposed transverse to the orbital plane.

An apparatus for detecting bodies near a celestial object, said apparatus comprising:

• means, disposed in orbit about said celestial object, for forming a first and a second image of at least a portion of the celestial sphere about said celestial object, said means for forming adapted to permit forming said second image at a time after said forming of said first image;
• and
• means for differencing said first and second images to produce a resultant image;
• wherein said means for forming comprises:
• a two dimensional array of optical elements;
• and
• means for enabling and disenabling selected elements of said array effective to cause only two selected lines of array elements to be active, said two selected lines of array elements being effective, respectively, to form said first and said second images.

A method for detecting bodies near a celestial object, including steps for:

• placing a means for imaging into orbit about said celestial object;
• using said means for imaging to form a first image of at least a portion of the celestial sphere about said object, and at a time thereafter, using said means for imaging to form a second image of said portion of said celestial sphere;
• and
• differencing said first and second images to produce a resultant image, said means for differencing comprising means for registering said first and said second image prior to said differencing.

A method for detecting bodies near a celestial object, including steps for:

• placing a means for imaging into orbit about said celestial object;
• using said means for imaging to form a first image of at least a portion of the celestial sphere about said object, and at a time thereafter, using said means for imaging to form a second image of said portion of said celestial sphere;
• and
• differencing said first and second images to produce a resultant image wherein:
• said means for imaging is a pair of linear optical arrays, the elements of said arrays being generally disposed parallel to lines of longitude of said celestial object.

A method for detecting bodies near a celestial object, including steps for:

• placing a means for imaging into orbit about said celestial object;
• using said means for imaging to form a first image of at least a portion of the celestial sphere about said object, and at a time thereafter, using said means for imaging to form a second image of said portion of said celestial sphere;
• and
• differencing said first and second images to produce a resultant image;
• wherein:
• said means for imaging is a two dimensional array of optical elements;
• and
• said step for using further comprises enabling and disenabling selected elements of said array effective to cause only two selected lines of array elements to be active, said two selected lines of array elements being effective, respectively, to form said first and said second images.