Calibration of on-orbit IR sensors by off-board

illumination from neighboring satellites

Lorraine E. Ryan, Munson A. Kwok, Randy M. Villahermosa, The Aerospace

Corporation (United States); Joseph L. Cox, Missile Defense Agency (United States)
April 14, 2009

Approved for Public Release 08-MDA-4308 (13 MAR 09)

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 INTRODUCTION

• Performance Validation
- Post-launch performance validation for infrared (ONIR)
sensors requires time-intensive multi-method approaches
– Ground Truth: cold and warm homogeneous surfaces
– Ground Sources: Plumes, Calibrated lasers
— Transfer functions must be applied
– Celestial Bodies: stars, moon and others
— In band characteristics uncertainties established by
multiple sources
Infrared Sensor Bands
•Near infrared (NIR): from 0.7 to 1.0
•Short-wave infrared (SWIR): 1.0 to 3 micrometers
•Mid-wave infrared (MWIR): 3 to 5 micrometers
•Mid-Long-to Long wave infrared (LWIR): 7 to 10 or 8 to
14
•Very-long wave infrared (VLWIR): 12 to about 30
micrometers,
Source Atmosphere Sensor System

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 Application Concept

• High utility for in-flight, all-Space periodic calibration check of On-

orbit Non-Imaging (Non-focusing) Infrared (ONIR) sensors
- Verify end-to-end operability, from sensor to analog amp to A/D
to on-board processing to digital output to ground
- Verify selected pixel performance of focal plane array
- Verify line-of-sight performance of space vehicle/payload
- Account for BOL to EOL changes quantitatively
• Cooperative target by use of “buddy” constellation satellite
- Well-established target orbit allows track verification
• Dual use possible as space vehicle radiator
• Require minimal impact on size, weight, electric power, data
handling, complexity
• Improvement over star-calibration: controllable target
characteristics
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 Generic LEO Constellation

• Assume a LEO circular ring at altitude A with N satellites

evenly spaced
- A = 800 km, 1000 km, 1200 km
- N= 6, 9, 12
• Assume Earth coverage viewing in longitude
- Minimal field of regard (FOR) of sensor is thus defined on
azimuthal (AZ) axis of payload
• Assume similar defined coverage viewing in latitude
- Minimal FOR of sensor on elevation (EL) axis is defined
• Assume sensors are normally near-nadir pointing, toward
Earth

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 Constellation View

N=6
Earth radius 6378 km
Earth

x y
B
CONOPS A

• B on position or rotate to z
calibration board about Z
• A points to B within FOR
excursion about X (AZ) and Y AZ-EL
(EL) A as sensor B as target
• Calibration conducted on A
sensor

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 Satellite Assumptions

• Satellite orbit velocity is 7.5 km/sec.

• Sun angle will be mostly behind the sensor view in daylight with solar arrays
to be deployed, away from calibration board LOS
• Albedo is negligible for MW and LW regimes
• Satellite at 30°C (waste heat, Earth, solar radiation)
• Calibration/Target Board guidelines
- Simple, flat geometry for easier analysis
– Sized to simulate real targets (cross section) at range
- Surface finish: Lambertian, high emissivity, low solar abs. (Perfect uniformity with
high thermal conductivity)
- Meet SWaP: i.e.: no active illumination or similar complexity
- Thermistor (array) to verify board radiance
- Optional: heater for more than one temperature setting
- Assessment as a radiator

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 Proposed Calibration Board Features

• Calibration board shall be rectangular: 1 x 2.5-m

• Board shall be mounted on surface orthogonal to solar panels
• One or two boards, opposite each other, can be considered
• Since calibration board probably replaces MLI in an area
- Board solar absorbance   -MLI in same area
- Board emissivity   -MLI, for MW, LWIR
• Two types of surfaces to be traded
- Graphite epoxy part, rough finish, thermally conductive
- Space qualified white paint (low solar absorbance, high MW,
LW emittance)
• Single thermistor diagnostic, around centroid of board, v. array
• Structural support TBD, but also GR-EX for CTE* match and
thermal isolation. *Coefficient of thermal Expansion)
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 Space Sensor Range to Vehicle
with Calibration Board
Range: Target to Sensor

N=6 N=9 N=12

zen= 30º zen= 20º zen= 15º
or N = 12
alt. satellites
A = 800 km --- km 4910 km 3716 km
A = 1000 km 7378 km 5047 km 3819 km
A= 1200 km 7578 km 5184 km 3923 km zen

Range Rate = 0 km/sec.

ά and έ = 0 º/sec
Condition A=800 km and N=6 does not clear limb of Earth
With ring N = 12, one can calibrate at two ranges
Condition A=1000 km and N=6, board is viewed through
the atmosphere Geometric Example of ranges

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 Earth Limb Interference?
• ONIR sensors are focal plane arrays
Limb radius = Earth radius + atmosphere
- Assume a sensor A with telescope and LWIR r-Limb = 6378 km + 20 km
FPA with 256 x 256 pixels (SOA)
- Assume pixel IFOV of 25 rad.
FPA
- FOV is 6.4 millirad (1/2FOV=3.2 millirad)
- Seek limb angle   3.2 millirad for LOS-

centered pixel Object plane
Limb angle , (milliradians)
A

N=6 N=9 N=12

zen= 30º zen= 20º zen= 15º Conclude:
or N = 12 Limb is not on
alt. satellites FPA sensor in
A = 800 km --- 140 280 practical cases
A = 1000 km “0” (12 km) 209 365
A= 1200 km 43.5 (185 km) 277 439
(Earth limb to LOS distance)

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 Radiometric Estimate

• Estimate the number of LWIR photo-electrons (pe’s) QE MCT

on pixel for Radiometric Feasibility
• 1) T= in ambient eclipse  0°C or 2) T2 = 20°C

• pe’s/sec. on one pixel emitted from calibration board fco

- P = QE  Atb [ ()f()fco() NBB(, T)]d 1

–  is receiver throughput, vignetted, transmitted

– QE is quantum efficiency of receiver pixel (TIS) 
f
– fco is LWIR cutoff of pixel material (TIS data)
– f are receiver bandpass filters (1, 0.2 band)
–  is solid angle (ster.) defined by receiver 
aperture D and range R to calibration board 
1
(D=0.3m)
– Atb is projected area of calibration board (m2)
— uniform, isotropic unpolarized, Lambertian 
–  is emissivity of board (assume constant)
– NBB is the blackbody radiance of board
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 LWIR Radiometric Analysis

Estimated Number of Photoelectrons/sec. Generated at Pixel

by Calibrator
(no multiplication layers on sensing layer)

N=6 N=9 N=12

zen= 30º zen= 20º zen= 15º
or N = 12
alt. satellites
A = 800 km --- 4.7 x 105 8.2 x 105
A = 1000 km --- 4.4 x 105 7.8 x 105
A= 1200 km 2.0 x 105 4.2 x 105 7.4 x 105
Model assumes an 8 cut-on filter and flat filter through LWIR. MCT Sensing layer spectral data typical of FPAs
developed by government. Sensor telescope aperture is 30 cm with effective magnification of 104. Board T=0°C.
For A=1200 km, N =6, increasing T by 20°C raises number to only 2.8 x 105.

Conclude: good pixel S/N for SCA for all cases checked

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 Radiometric Signal Interferences

• Spacecraft cross section in view (MLI wrapped)

- Side profile assumed 1.25 m x 3.0 m; 33% not calibration board
- Surface temperature about the same T (30°C) ~ operational ambient
- Strategies for calibrator
– Calibration board area to dominate side panel
– Heat board (or cool spacecraft) surface relative to backing
• Appendages (i.e. solar arrays) in profile
- Notional design: 2 deployed arrays of 5 panels at side panel size
- Strategies for calibrator
– Measure in the eclipse to cool appendages (reach -70°C)
— Ref.: Aerospace Spacecraft Thermal Control Handbook, 2008-09-24
– Turn arrays toward edge as needed

Calibration Board on SV
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 Space Vehicle Radiant Background

Situation Key Parameter Interfering Radiance

Fraction
 A/AB T(°C)
(fraction of Board Radiance)
Spacecraft background 0.45 0.5 0 0.25
Solar panels: full view 0.45 12 -70 1.83
Solar panels: 45° view 0.45 8 -70 1.29
Solar panels on edge, 5 cm-thick 0.45 0.2 -70 0.03

Baseline Board Radiance is 787 Watts,  = 0.9, AB = 2.5 m2, T = 0°C.

• A sufficient large Calibration Board must cover the S/C side

• Solar panels must be positioned to be nearly on “edge”

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 Calibration Board as Radiator

• Blackbody sizing indicates that 1.0 x 2.5 m2 board will radiate in an

hemisphere
- 787 watts at 0°C,  = 0.9
- 1077 watts at 30°C,  = 0.9
- 1390 watts at 50°C,  = 0.9
• Environmental heat loads (direct solar, albedo, Earthshine)
- “None”, in eclipse
• Board as Radiator: capacity = BB – environmental loads
- 1077 watts at 30°C; 1390 watts at 50°C
- Max. kilowatt-level “heat lift” possible with the board
- Equilibrium radiator T is TBD depending on S/C heat flux
– A task for the concept design phase

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 Heater Trade

• Heat balance at 0°C on Calibration Board, eclipse:

- Heat flux makeup = Radiant power – Dissipation power
- If makeup efficiency = 1 and S/C dissipation is 500 W
– 287 watts-makeup = 787 watts – 500 watts
– Requires 300 watt type of heater and DC power

• Board may require distributed heater, a complexity to assure

uniformity
- Board thickness (mass vs. heater)
- Heater (electrical vs. heat pipe vs. capillary pump loop)

Heat Pipe Configuration near board surface

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 Calibration Board Material Trade
(still open-matrix identified)
• Trade Criteria

- BOL vs. EOL performance (emissivity change)

- Thermal performance (slow time constant)
- Weight (low)
- Contamination issue
- Surface uniformity, texture and thermal conductivity
- Ease of integration - heater/spreader, thermistor diagnostic, thermal isolation
BOL EOL (LEO)
Contamination
Material g/cm 3
s  s  Susceptibility

Kapton (bare) 0.315 0.44

Ge-Kapton
Aeroglaze Z306 (black paint)
Silvered Teflon < 0.09 < 0.4
Z93 (white paint)
"Nusil silicone-based coating"
Graphite-epoxy composite
Aluminum (bare)
Az-93 (white paint)

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 Calibration Board Material
Trade Space Criteria
• Analysis assumptions: high emissivity, low solar absorptance
• Trade Criteria
- Solar absorptance (minimize solar loading)
- BOL vs. EOL degradation ( increase from space environment, contamination)
- Thermal performance (impact to spacecraft hardware)
- Surface uniformity, texture, and thermal conductivity
• Typical thermal materials/coatings can meet analysis assumptions
- Material down-select a task for the design concept phase
BOL* EOL*
Thermal Material/Coating Comment
   
2 mil thick; EOL is 5 years; baseline for
Al-Kapton® (baseline) 0.39 0.73 0.67 0.73 comparison
Ref: AZ Technology Corp.; ≥ 5 mil thick;
AZ93 0.15 0.91 0.15 0.90 EOL for  is 4 years, space station orbit; EOL
for  is based on lab testing

Graphite Epoxy 0.93 0.85 0.93 0.85 Generic material for composites

Z306 Black Paint 0.95 0.87 0.92 0.87 3 mil thick; EOL is 5 years in GEO
*Unless otherwise noted, taken from Gilmore, D. G. ―Satellite Thermal Control Handbook‖ 1994.
Kapton is registered trademark of DuPont
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 Summary and Next Steps

• Calibration board for Infrared Sensors at the System Level (Telescope) to the FPA pixels
appears feasible for ONIR operational constellation

• Adds only slight complexity and a little SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) impact

- Size is important and may cover most one equipment compartment side
- Power to maintain (vary) board temperature, mostly passive
- May require heat spreader for surface uniformity
- Thermistor data handling and control system
- Less weight and size impact if Calibration Board is also radiator
- CONOPS for calibration will require little additional motion capability over that
required by main missions
• Compatible material solution possible

• Next Steps

- Develop several design concepts

- Conduct detailed trades
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