Photon counting technique applied to a modular tracker design
Abstract
An image dissector tube (IDT) operating in the Photon Counting mode has wider dynamic range and better radiometric sensitivity than the analog mode. When an IDT is used in a Star Tracker with the photon counting technique coupled with the appropriate position modulation and digital signal processing, the noise equivalent angle is limited only by the IDT focused electron star image size, the fluctuation of the photoelectron emission rate and integration time. This paper discusses the analytic models and test results of star acquisition and the close loop tracking.
- Publication:
-
AIAA, Aerospace Sciences Meeting
- Pub Date:
- January 1976
- Bibcode:
- 1976aiaa.meet.....T
- Keywords:
-
- Image Dissector Tubes;
- Quantum Counters;
- Signal Processing;
- Star Trackers;
- Amplitude Modulation;
- Design Analysis;
- Digital Techniques;
- Dynamic Characteristics;
- Mathematical Models;
- Modulation;
- Photoelectric Emission;
- Photon Density;
- Stellar Luminosity;
- Transfer Functions;
- Space Communications, Spacecraft Communications, Command and Tracking