INCLINED SUPER-GEOSTATIONARY EARTH ORBIT FOR IMPROVED SPACE SURVEILLANCE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide methods, systems and apparatus for an inclined super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO) for improved space surveillance.SOLUTION: Systems, methods, and apparatus for space surveillance are disclosed in the present specification. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves a step of scanning, by at least one sensor on at least one satellite in an inclined super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO), a raster scan over a field of regard (FOR). In one or more embodiments, the scanning step is at a variable rate, and the variable rate is dependent upon a target dwell time for detecting a target of interest. In at least one embodiment, the target dwell time is a function of a range from at least one sensor to the target of interest and a function of a solar phase angle. In some embodiments, the axis of inclination of the inclined super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO) is a function of the solar phase angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A