70 research outputs found
First italian space debris observatory: the image processing automation
No full textSpace debris are a concern for operative satellites and human missions. A large amount of debris is located in Low Earth Orbit and in Geostationary Orbit, and several institutes all around the world monitor the growth of the debris population. Since a few years, GAUSS (Group of Astrodynamics of the University of Rome “La Sapienza”) has been carrying out space debris observation campaigns exploiting amateur astronomers’ facilities. Presently GAUSS is making up, in the frame of a contract with Italian Space Agency (ASI), the first Italian optical observa-tory completely addressed to space debris detection. During the optical campaigns, a large number of images is expected to be archived. This is the reason why a software is needed to process the images in order to automatically detect the objects and correlate them with the catalogue. The algorithm is based mainly on single-frame handling to make the noise level as flat as possible, with a successive two-image comparison which allows removing stars and bi-ases. In the object detection procedure a shape identification algorithm has been avoided, in order to reduce calculation time. The last step is the object identification by comparison with the Two-Line Elements catalogue. The actual position of the detected objects is compared with the propagated positions of the catalogued ones. In conclusion, both the image processing itself and the object identification are performed automatically. The paper describes the logic of the developed algorithm as well as the preliminary results of the software
Two-site orbit determination: The 2003 GEO observation campaign from Collepardo and Mallorca
No full textn September 2003 the Group of Astrodynamics of the University of Rome “La Sapienza” (GAUSS) carried out a two-site optical observation campaign addressed to the orbit determination of objects in the geosynchronous region without a priori information. Two 40 cm aperture Ritchey-Chrétien telescopes were employed: the f/7.5 “Collepardo Automatic Telescope” (CAT, located in Collepardo, Italy) and an f/5 tube of the “Observatori Astronòmic de Mallorca” (OAM, located in Mallorca, Spain). The baseline between the sites is about 1000 km.
Three second long, 1 min apart exposures were simultaneously taken in sidereal tracking mode, looking at the same arcs of the geosynchronous ring. The size of the fields of view allowed to see a few satellites in two successive frames from both sites. The Lambert theorem has been exploited to determine the orbits, averaging the data with the least square method in the case that more than 2 points were available.
Of course, the longer the time interval between the positions, the lower the effect of measuring errors. Nevertheless, the only way to have quite distant points would be tracking the satellite, but following-up is typically time demanding thus not suitable for a surveillance campaign, hence not very interesting from a practical standpoint.
In the paper the results of the orbit determination from the September 2003 campaign are reported. More in detail, the outcomes of some classical methods for solving the Lambert theorem, are compared with solutions based on the measurements fitted with the least squares method, with the circular orbit assumption results, with the one-site complete orbit determination and with the TLEs
Optical features and space debris observation capabilities of the first dedicated italian observatory
No full textIn October 2006, the Italian Space Agency, in the framework of a contract which involves many italians groups working on space debris, gave to GAUSS the task to manufacture a small, easy to transport, observatory completely dedicated to space debris monitoring.
The observatory will host three telescopes, with different diameters, focal lengths and optical configuration, all of them can be equipped with two CCDs and moved by robotic mounts.
A deep analysis of optical properties of the complete system has been carried out in order to evaluate instruments features, constraints and capabilities.
Particularly difficult is the a priori assessment and evaluation of the performances of optical system for LEO or GEO objects tracking and orbit determination
The paper presents the expected orbit determination results keeping into account different orbital regimes, different orbital determination strategies and instruments configurations, sketching numerical simulation results
An In Situ Impact Sensor on-board a UNISAT microsatellite for monitoring the microparticles environment
No full textOsservazioni ottiche dei detriti spaziali in regione geosincrona: risultati delle prime campagne italiane
No full textPrimo osservatorio italiano per detriti spaziali
No full textSi tratta del primo osservatorio italiano (SPADE) costruito e progettato specificamente per la sorveglianza spaziale dei corpi artificiali in orbita, a questo primo ne sono seguiti altri due italiani (ALMASCOPE ed ALMASCOPE2) ed uno italo-russo (FIRST) installato su suolo italiano
The 2002 italian optical observations of the geosynchronous region
No full textIn the April 2002 the first dedicated observations of space debris in Italy have been performed by the Group of Astrodynamics of the University of Rome “La Sapienza” (GAUSS). Such test campaign, devoted to the Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) region objects detection, was accomplished using one of the Campo Catino Astronomical Observatory telescopes and was successful. As a consequence, GAUSS decided to continue the GEO observation activity from Campo Catino, also using other facilities. Since November 2002 the team has also joined the Inter-Agency Space Debris Co-ordination Committee (IADC) GEO campaign even if only a few clear-sky nights could be exploited.
The paper reports the results from all Italian GEO optical campaigns performed since April 2002 (test campaign) until January 8th 2003
First optical space debris detection campaign in Italy
No full textIn April 2002 the first dedicated observations of space debris in Italy have been performed by the Group of Astrodynamics of the University of Rome "La Sapienza". The campaign was accomplished using one of the Campo Catino Astronomical Observatory telescopes. In the paper the campaign is described and the first results are presented. (C) 2004 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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