Title

Performance Modeling Of Launch Vehicle Imaging Telescopes

Keywords

Image quality predictions; Launch Vehicle Imaging Telescopes; Systems engineering analysis

Abstract

The implementation plan for the "return-to-flight" of the space shuttle after the spectacular Columbia disaster upon re-entering the earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003 included significant upgrades to the Ground Camera Ascent Imagery assets at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The accident was due to damage incurred when a piece if insulating foam debris from the external fuel tank struck the left wing during take-off. The Ground Camera Ascent Imagery Project encompasses a wide variety of launch vehicle tracking telescopes and cameras at the Eastern Range. Most of these launch vehicle imaging telescopes are manually tracked and fitted with video and 35 mm film cameras, and many of them are fixed-focus (i.e., focused at the hyperfocal distance for the duration of the launch). In this paper we describe a systems engineering analysis approach for obtaining performance predictions of these aging launch vehicle imaging telescopes. Recommendations for a continuing maintenance and refurbishment program that closes the loop around the KSC photo-interpreter are included.

Publication Date

12-23-2005

Publication Title

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

Volume

5867

Number of Pages

1-12

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.626031

Socpus ID

29144492096 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/29144492096

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