Aeronautics and astronautics – Spacecraft – Spacecraft formation – orbit – or interplanetary path
Patent
1996-01-19
1998-07-28
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Spacecraft
Spacecraft formation, orbit, or interplanetary path
B64G 100
Patent
active
057852790
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns a system and method for controlling which regions of the earth are image sensed by a satellite imaging system having location determination processing and command and control for pointing a satellite to a specific location about the earth for imaging. The invention utilizes exclusion zones, which define the regions of the earth restricted from image sensing. The exclusion zones are either defined by hard wired logic circuitry, or stored onto read only memory in association with a processor, or stored onto random access memory in association with a processor. The stored exclusion zones are tied to the satellite imaging systems location determination processing system and command and control system. The random access memory is set with the exclusion zone regions of the earth by encrypted signals transmitted from a ground station. Ground commands transmitting imaging coordinates conflicting with the exclusion zone locations result in either the satellite being rolled or a mirror being rotated to a non-imaging position, or not turning on the data flow at the focal plane of the image sensor. The present invention also provides for a control of the satellite imaging system, as to sensing any region of the earth, by encrypted signals transmitted from a ground station for either rolling the satellite or rotating the mirror on the satellite to a non-imaging position, or not turning on the data flow at the focal plane of the image sensor.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3995801 (1976-12-01), Bond
patent: 4502051 (1985-02-01), Dondl
patent: 5415368 (1995-05-01), Horstein
Barefoot Galen L.
ITT Defense, Inc.
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