Feasibility of Using Commercial Star Trackers for On-Orbit Resident Space Object Detection

The dramatic increase in the number of resident space objects (RSO), including both functioning satellites and on-orbit debris, is a cause for concern throughout the space industry. With several large satellite constellations under planning and development, the RSO population is only expected to rise further, posing significant challenges for existing ground-based and space-based tracking networks and for mission planners and operators. Part of the solution may lie in the RSOs themselves. Many satellites launched today use star trackers for accurate attitude determination and control. What if these wide-field-of-view optical instruments could be dual-purposed to detect RSOs in addition to tracking stars? A network of "backyard observatories" in orbit could then help fill in many of the present and anticipated gaps in space surveillance coverage, further refining orbit predictions and observing objects that cannot easily be viewed from the ground - all the while using existing, previously-flight-qualified hardware. With the support of the Canadian Space Agency, Magellan Aerospace and its academic partners have been investigating this exciting possibility. This paper presents the results of our feasibility study, focusing on the estimated detection rates that can be achieved and the novel technologies that will make this happen.