A low-cost miniaturized scientific imager design with chip-on-board technology for space applications

The Miniaturized Scientific Imager uses a reflective telescope, a single filter, and a charge-coupled device detector. This visible imager has a 1.5 x 2 field of view, a focal length of 720 mm, and a spatial resolution of roughly 4 m at a range of 500 km. Heaters and radiators control the detector t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Johns Hopkins APL technical digest 1999-04, Vol.20 (2), p.170-180
Main Authors: Le, Binh Q, Schwartz, Paul D, Ling, Sharon X, Strohbehn, Kim, Peacock, Keith, McNally, Philip J, Lehtonen, S John, Gold, Robert E, Jenkins, Robert E
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The Miniaturized Scientific Imager uses a reflective telescope, a single filter, and a charge-coupled device detector. This visible imager has a 1.5 x 2 field of view, a focal length of 720 mm, and a spatial resolution of roughly 4 m at a range of 500 km. Heaters and radiators control the detector temperature. In this design, the user can control exposure mode, duration, and frame buffer selections. Thirty-two internal frame buffers will store the images captured by the imager. Our goal is to demonstrate and qualify a miniaturized, modularized, smart imager for future space missions. We present the detailed design of the imager, with emphasis on APL's chip-on-board technology and its significant impact on system weight and volume reduction. The development resulted in an imager design that weighs only 0.5 kg with a low power consumption of 1 W. A similar imager in the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous spacecraft weighs 7.7 kg and consumes 6.9 W. (Author)
ISSN:0270-5214