Scheduler for monitoring objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes
First Claim
1. A system for generating a schedule for monitoring target objects that are in earth orbit via a network of satellites having imaging devices for collecting images, the system comprising:
- a storage medium storing computer-executable instructions of;
a component that receives collision predictions for the target objects that may collide;
a component that identifies close approaches of the target objects that may collide to satellites;
a component that, for each close approach of a target object to a satellite, determines viewing angles, a collection time, and an expected image quality for collecting an image of the target object by the satellite; and
a component that, for each satellite, adds to a schedule for that satellite a scheduled observation indicating orientation of the imaging device and collection time for close approaches to that satellite when the expected image quality satisfies an image quality criterion; and
a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the storage medium.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ephemeris refinement system includes satellites with imaging devices in earth orbit to make observations of space-based objects (“target objects”) and a ground-based controller that controls the scheduling of the satellites to make the observations of the target objects and refines orbital models of the target objects. The ground-based controller determines when the target objects of interest will be near enough to a satellite for that satellite to collect an image of the target object based on an initial orbital model for the target objects. The ground-based controller directs the schedules to be uploaded to the satellites, and the satellites make observations as scheduled and download the observations to the ground-based controller. The ground-based controller then refines the initial orbital models of the target objects based on the locations of the target objects that are derived from the observations.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for generating a schedule for monitoring target objects that are in earth orbit via a network of satellites having imaging devices for collecting images, the system comprising:
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a storage medium storing computer-executable instructions of; a component that receives collision predictions for the target objects that may collide; a component that identifies close approaches of the target objects that may collide to satellites; a component that, for each close approach of a target object to a satellite, determines viewing angles, a collection time, and an expected image quality for collecting an image of the target object by the satellite; and a component that, for each satellite, adds to a schedule for that satellite a scheduled observation indicating orientation of the imaging device and collection time for close approaches to that satellite when the expected image quality satisfies an image quality criterion; and a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the storage medium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a transitory, propagating signal, the computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions for controlling a computing device to generate a schedule for collecting images of target objects in earth orbit that may collide via a network of satellites having imaging devices for collecting images, the computer-executable instructions when executed by the computing device perform a method comprising:
for each satellite, identifying close approaches of the target objects to that satellite; for each close approach of a target object to that satellite, determining viewing angles, a collection time, and an expected image quality for collecting an image of the target object by that satellite; selecting as observation possibilities for that satellite the close approaches with the highest expected image qualities; and adding to the schedule for that satellite as scheduled observations the observation possibilities with a collection time during which that satellite is available. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method performed by a computing system for generating a schedule for collecting images of target objects in earth orbit that have been identified as having a possibility of colliding with other target objects, the images being collected via a network of satellites having imaging devices, the method comprising:
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storing an indication of the target objects that have been identified as having a possibility of colliding with other target objects; identifying by the computing system close approaches of the target objects to the satellites; and for each close approach of a target object to a satellite, determining by the computing system an imaging device orientation, a collection time, and an expected image quality for collecting an image of the target object by the satellite; and adding by the computing system to the schedule of that satellite a scheduled observation indicating the imaging device orientation and collection time for the close approach when the expected image quality satisfies an image quality criterion. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification