Space is becoming increasingly congested and contested as small satellites, to include CubeSats, are launched in greater numbers. The Space Systems Academic Group at the Naval Postgraduate School purchased an advanced commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) telescope from Meade Instruments (model LX600) with the goal of tracking CubeSats and as an educational tool for postgraduate students. This thesis specifies a plan, based on research and proof-of-concept testing, for NPS to create an automated (closed-loop) optical telescope system capable of detecting and tracking CubeSats in low Earth orbit. Satellite tracking will be a new capability for NPS, and will allow for future work in multiple areas, to include orbit determination, space situational awareness, and laser communications. This thesis recommends additional equipment, dedicated software, and permanent staging of the telescope system in order to attain a closed-loop satellite tracking system with an optical telescope.
Satellite Tracking with Telescope and Software
2019
95 pages
Report
No indication
English
Military Sciences , Infrared & Ultraviolet Detection , Satellite tracking systems , Small satellites , Telescopes , Application software , Computer programs , Closed loop systems , Optical tracking , Detection , Space situational awareness , Laser communications , Cubesats , Orbit determination , Closed-loop satellite tracking systems , Optical telescopes
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