Adaptive scan rate space monitoring sensor for super geostationary earth orbit

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an adaptive scan rate space surveillance sensor for a super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO).SOLUTION: Systems, methods, and apparatus for space surveillance are disclosed in the present specification. The disclosed method involves a step of scanning, by at least one sensor 130 on at least one satellite 140 in a super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO), a raster scan over a field of regard (FOR). The scanning step is at a variable rate, and the variable rate is dependent upon a target dwell time for detecting a target 170 of interest. In at least the other, the target dwell time is a function of a characteristic brightness of the target.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A