A Method Of Gravity Release Compensation In The Optical Alignment Of Orbiting Meteorological Sounding And Imaging Instruments

James C. Wetzel

doi:10.1117/12.947177

4 August 1988 A Method Of Gravity Release Compensation In The Optical Alignment Of Orbiting Meteorological Sounding And Imaging Instruments

James C. Wetzel

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 0941, Automated Testing of Electro-Optical Systems; (1988) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.947177
Event: 1988 Technical Symposium on Optics, Electro-Optics, and Sensors, 1988, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

This paper describes a method developed for precompensating the front-end (telescope) optical alignment of the Imager and Sounder radiometric instruments, which will be launched as components of the GOES I - M series of meteorological satellites. To satisfy the severe pointing accuracy requirements on these instruments, their alignments must be offset in the one - G field of the laboratory, in order that they will be correct in orbit. A method was developed to make the necessary alignment offset, using a counterweight mechanism; autocollimation returns frau reference mirrors on the instrument structure and supporting fixturing provided feedback for adjusting the counterweight mechanism. A series of experiments was performed to verify that these autocollimation return measurements were a good predictor of telescope line-of-sight changes; these experiments are described and their results summarized.

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James C. Wetzel "A Method Of Gravity Release Compensation In The Optical Alignment Of Orbiting Meteorological Sounding And Imaging Instruments", Proc. SPIE 0941, Automated Testing of Electro-Optical Systems, (4 August 1988); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.947177

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