Imagery acquired with a quantum-well infrared photodetector dual-band infrared focal plane array of the inaugural launch of the Atlas 5 launch vehicle is presented. The focal plane array was developed under the U.S. Army Research Laboratory's Advanced Sensors Federated Laboratory program and used a read-out integrated circuit produced under the Air Force Research Laboratory's Advanced Multi-Quantum Well Technology program. The detectors are able to sense light in both the 3-5- and 8-12-micron atmospheric transmission windows such that the resulting single-band images are pixel registered and simultaneous. The focal plane array was installed in a camera system that used a closed-cycle cooler to operate at 60 K. The camera was placed at the prime focus of an all-reflective telescope on a computer-controlled tracking mount at the Innovative Sensor Technology Evaluation Facility at the Kennedy Space Center. The launch was observed from a distance of 15 km from the pad. The dual- band camera system was calibrated using standard blackbody sources. The launch vehicle was observed from about 30 s after launch until approximately 4 min after launch. This corresponded to ranges between 15 km and more than 300 km and altitudes from just over 1 km to more than 100 km. Several interesting differences in the structure of the plume were observed. In addition, the hardbody of the rocket was seen in the 8-12-micron imagery but was undetectable in the 3-5-micron imagery. The imagery was unsaturated in both bands allowing us to obtain good measurements of the radiance of the plume in both the principal infrared bands.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Dual-band infrared imagery of an Atlas 5 launch vehicle in flight


    Additional title:

    Detektion einer Atlas 5-Rakete mit einem Zwei-Spektren-Infrarotbildgebungsverfahren


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    AIAA Journal ; 43 , 1 ; 174-183


    Publication date :

    2005


    Size :

    10 Seiten, 17 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 3 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English