A development of a medium accuracy, CCD based starsensor, intended for use on the new generation of communication satellites is in progress. The sensor aims at an accuracy of 0.06 degree(s) in a FOV of 30 degree(s) X 40 degree(s). The sensor is designed to detect stars with a brightness of m_via <EQ + 2.5 during its whole lifetime of at least 10 years. A breadboard of this starsensor, called Pattern Recognition System (PRS) was built and verified and the manufacturing of an EQM is ongoing now. Intended to be versatile in applications for telecommunication and other missions, a unit is developed which is adaptive and has low recurring cost. The PRS concept is based on new MPP CCD technology. This technology brings passive thermal control without Peltier elements within reach. The electronics accommodated inside the PRS sensorheads is miniaturized by large scale integration by using a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Surface Mount Technology (SMT). For cost reasons no microprocessor was implemented. This paper describes the main design features of the PRS, the selection and testing of appropriate CCD, performance characteristics of the system and test results obtained from the PRS breadboard system.

Date Published: 1 October 1993
PDF: 14 pages
Proc. SPIE 1950, Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing VII, (1 October 1993); doi: 10.1117/12.156606

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1950:
Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing VII
Michael K. Masten; Larry A. Stockum, Editor(s)