HIGH PERFORMANCE SCANNING MINIATURE STAR CAMERA SYSTEM

摘要

A star camera system that includes an optical system configured to focus radiation from a star to be imaged onto a collector that is in the form of an electron bombarded active pixel sensor (EBAPS) configured to provide high gain. The EBAPS comprising a photocathode disposed in a vacuum is configured to release electrons into the vacuum when exposed to radiation focused thereon by the optical system. The EBAPS includes an active pixel sensor anode disposed distant from the photocathode in the vacuum. An electric field is generated by a voltage source to direct the electrons from the photocathode to the active pixel sensor anode. Furthermore, the collector is mounted on a translation device configured to move the collector relative to the optical system by a predetermined amount of less than pixel size in the focal plane of the optical system to increase image resolution of a plurality of images.

主权项

1. A star camera system, comprising:
an optical system configured to focus radiation from a star to be imaged onto a collector disposed at the focal plane of the optical system; and a collector in the form of an electron bombarded active pixel sensor, the collector including:
a photocathode disposed in a vacuum and configured to release electrons into the vacuum when exposed to radiation focused thereon by the optical system;an active pixel sensor anode having pixels of a predetermined size disposed distant from the photocathode in the vacuum; anda voltage source to generate an electric field between the photocathode and the active pixel sensor anode configured to direct the electrons from the photocathode to the active pixel sensor anode to generate an image of the star, wherein the collector is mounted on a translation device configured to move the collector relative to the optical system by a predetermined amount of less than pixel size in the focal plane of the optical system, thereby increasing image resolution when a plurality of images taken at different relative positions are compared.