A compact lightweight Earth horizon sensor using an uncooled infrared bolometer

Linda E. Marchese; Paul Thomas; Timothy D. Pope; Daniel Asselin; Hubert Jerominek

doi:10.1117/12.778908

26 October 2007 A compact lightweight Earth horizon sensor using an uncooled infrared bolometer

Linda E. Marchese, Paul Thomas, Timothy D. Pope, Daniel Asselin, Hubert Jerominek

Proceedings Volume 6796, Photonics North 2007; 679629 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.778908
Event: Photonics North 2007, 2007, Ottawa, Canada

Abstract

A compact, lightweight Earth horizon sensor has been designed based on uncooled infrared microbolometer array technology developed at INO. The design has been optimized for use on small satellites in Low Earth Orbits. The sensor may be used either as an attitude sensor or as an atmospheric limb detector. Various configurations may be implemented for both spinning and 3-axis stabilized satellites. The core of the sensor is the microbolometer focal plane array equipped with 256 x 1 VO_x thermistor pixels with a pitch of 52 μm. The optics consists of a single Zinc Selenide lens with a focal length of 39.7 mm. The system's F-number is 3.8 and the detector limited Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference is estimated to be 0.75 K at 300 K for the 14 - 16 μm wavelength range. A single-sensor configuration will have a mass of less than 300g, a volume of 125 cm³ and a power consumption of 600 mW, making it well-suited for small satellite missions.

Citation Download Citation

Linda E. Marchese, Paul Thomas, Timothy D. Pope, Daniel Asselin, and Hubert Jerominek "A compact lightweight Earth horizon sensor using an uncooled infrared bolometer", Proc. SPIE 6796, Photonics North 2007, 679629 (26 October 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.778908

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