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Satellite Tracking Using a Portable 8” Satellite Tracking Using a Portable 8” Aperture TelescopeAperture Telescope

July 26, 2006

Jayson Nakakura

University of Hawaii at Manoa

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Trex Enterprises’ MauiTrex Enterprises’ Maui Kahului, Maui

Mentors– Riki Maeda and Daron Nishimoto

US Government Support– Defense– Homeland Security– Force Protection

Projects– CMOS Image Sensors– Adaptive Optics– Deployable Tracking Systems

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Deployable Tracking SystemDeployable Tracking System Why Track Satellites?

– Need to know satellite activity Friendly or Spy? What is it doing? Where is it looking?

– Quantity Many transportable telescopes Not dependent on observatories (i.e. AEOS)

Tracking with Low Residual Error– Keeping Satellites Centered in the Field of View (FOV) as they orbit

over head

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Conditions for SuccessConditions for Success

Deployable Tracking System

Mobility

Accuracy Resolution

Self Leveling

North Finding

GPS Enabled

High SlewSpeeds

Precise SatelliteOrbiting Data

LargeMirror

High SpeedCamera

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Meade LX200GPSMeade LX200GPS

8” Aperture(203 mm)

FocusF = 2000mm

8 x 50mm Viewfinder

•GPS Alignment System•True-Level Sensors•North Electronic Sensors

Slew Rate8° per second

Autostar II Control System

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Satellite TrackerSatellite Tracker

Satellite Tracker processes Two Line Element Sets (TLES) to predict satellite orbits. The telescope uses this data to point towards and slew with the passing satellite.

The predicted pass of COSMOS 1782

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Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI)Lunar Planetary Imager (LPI)

Color CMOS Chip with a640 x 480 pixel resolution

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LPI ImagingLPI Imaging

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Instantaneous Field of View (IFOV)Instantaneous Field of View (IFOV)

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AlbireoAlbireo

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Albireo - 3x MagnificationAlbireo - 3x Magnification

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Conditions for TrackingConditions for Tracking

Weather

Terminator– The time period when satellites reflect sunlight, making them visible

A few hours after sunset A few hours before sunrise

Satellite Magnitudes– Visibility of the satellites

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Finding Residual ErrorFinding Residual Error

•Take about 100 frames

•Find de-centered distances in arc-seconds

•Calculate average with a standard deviation

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Autostar IIAutostar II

Used for Manual Tracking

Controls telescope slew direction

Controls telescope slew speeds

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International Space Station (ISS)International Space Station (ISS)

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Tracking a PlaneTracking a Plane

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Average Residual ErrorAverage Residual Error

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ConclusionConclusion

Deployable Tracking System– With better software, it will successfully track satellites– With a much larger aperture, it should successfully image satellites

Is Satellite Tracking Feasible?

Yes No

•Able to slew with satellites•Able to manually track satellites•Able to image•Able to manually track planes

•Unable to center when using Satellite Tracker

Improvements?Satellite Tracker telescope controlling software

Time

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Thank YouThank You

Malika Moutawakkil Bell

Lisa Hunter Hilary O’Bryan

Riki Maeda

Daron Nishimoto Wes Friewald

Justin O’Brien

John Hirata Suzanne Burns

Uncle Kahu Charlie Kauluwehi Maxwell Sr.