Research on Capability of Space Target Detection by Spaceborne Ultraviolet Cameras

Abstract

The reflection spectra of satellites are shifted to short wavelengths when seasonal scintillation caused by solar wings occurs, and the shorter wavelength UV band has potential advantages in space target solar wing detection. The space target detection signal-to-noise ratio and detection distance models were developed for space target detection. For the most influential material properties in the model, the spectral reflectance of typical satellite materials and solar wing cell materials in the UV and visible bands were measured, and other influencing factors such as detector and deep space background in the model were also analyzed. Using the SJ-5 and Skynet 5D satellites as examples, it was verified that there was indeed a significant advantage of UV in solar wing detection. The results show that compared with the main body visible detection of the satellite, the solar wing UV detection signal-to-noise ratio is enhanced by 1.3~1.6 times, and the detection distance can be increased by 1.5~1.8 times by the combination of UV and visible light. UV has obvious technical advantages over visible light in detection scenes such as Earth’s limb, occultation and engine tail flame detection during satellite deorbiting, thus UV detection has the obvious advantages of cost-efficiency ratio and detection capability in space target detection.

Keywords

space-based ultraviolet / ultraviolet detection / space target / solar wing / spectral reflectance