• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 2020

Satellite optical communication has gained significant attention owing to its many quality features (e.g., a larger bandwidth, license free spectrum, higher data rate, and better security) compared to satellite microwave communication. Various experiments have been performed during many space missions to demonstrate and characterize inter-satellite links, downlinks, and uplinks. Korea has also planned to establish an experimental communication system using a geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellite and the Geochang station as an optical ground station for low Earth orbit (LEO)-to-ground optical relay links. In this study, the performance of inter-satellite communication links and downlinks was investigated for the new Korean experimental communication system in terms of link margin, bit error rate (BER), and channel capacity. In particular, the performance of the inter-satellite links was analyzed based on the receiving apertures and the transmitting power, while that of the downlink was analyzed in terms of atmospheric turbulence conditions and transmitting power. Finally, we discussed two system parameters of receiving aperture and transmitting power to meet the three criteria of link margin, BER, and channel capacity.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.105-114
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to present a conceptual design of the 6U micro-satellite system for optical image of 3 m GSD. An optical camera system with a payload of 3 m GSD image was designed and optimized. The optical system has a diameter of Ø78 mm, length 250 mm, and 1400 mm focal length. The requirement and constraints were configured for the 6U micro-satellite bus system with the payload. Satisfying the requirement and constraints, the subsystems of the 6U bus were designed such as attitude and orbit control, propulsion, command and data handling, electrical power, communication, structures and mechanisms, and thermal control subsystem. The mass budget, power budget, and communication link budget were also confirmed for the 6U micro-satellite comprising the optical payload and the subsystems of bus. To take optical images, a mission operation concept is proposed for the 6U micro-satellite in a low-Earth orbit. A constellation comprising many 6U micro-satellites studied in this paper, can provide with various data for reconnaissance and disaster tracking.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.26-36
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• 2019

The precise alignment between optical components is required in high-resolution earth observation satellites. However, the misalignment of optical components occurs due to external factors such as severe satellite launch environment and space environment. A satellite optical system with a focus mechanism is required to compensate for the image quality degraded by these misalignments. This study designed, fabricated, aligned precisely, and carried out a performance tests for the image quality of the system. The satellite optical camera performance tests were carried out to check the image quality change by operating the focus mechanism and to analyze the satellite optical system MTF by photographing USAF target using the autocollimator. According to the experimental results, the misalignments can be compensated sufficiently with the focus mechanism. Finally the basic data for re-focusing algorithm of the optical system was obtained through this study.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2019

In this study, a batch least square estimator that utilizes optical observation data is developed and utilized to determine geostationary orbits (GEO). Through numerical simulations, the effects of error sources, such as clock errors, measurement noise, and the a priori state error, are analyzed. The actual optical tracking data of a GEO satellite, the Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS), provided by the optical wide-field patrol network (OWL-Net) is used with the developed batch filter for orbit determination. The accuracy of the determined orbit is evaluated by comparison with two-line elements (TLE) and confirmed as proper for the continuous monitoring of GEO objects. Also, the measurement residuals are converged to several arcseconds, corresponding to the OWL-Net performance. Based on these analyses, it is verified that the independent operation of electro-optic space surveillance systems is possible, and the ephemerides of space objects can be obtained.

• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.17-25
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• 2016

In this study, an optical system for a lens-shifting method that compensates for microvibration of a high-agility small satellite has been designed. The lens-shifting method is an image-stabilization technique that can be applied to compensate for the optical path disturbed by microvibration. The target optical system is designed by using Code-V, a commercial optical-design code. The specifications for real satellite cameras have established the requirements for optical design. The Ray aberration curve, spot diagram, and MTF curve were carried out to verify if the designed optical system meets the requirements or not. The designed Schmidt-Cassegrain optical system with field flattener and a vibration-reduction lens has been verified to meet the optical requirements, 33% of MTF at Nyquist frequency, GSD of 2.87 m, and vibration coefficient of 0.95~1.0.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2015

In this study, optical design for small satellite camera equipped with online optical compensation movements has been conducted. Satellite camera equipped with compensation movements at M2 mirror and focal plane can guarantee the MTF performance through the focal plane image stabilization and the on-orbit optical alignment. The designed optical system is schmidt-cassegrain type that has M1 mirror of a diameter 200mm, GSD 3.8m at an altitude of 700km, and 50 % MTF performance. The performance of the designed optical system has been analyzed through the method of ray aberration curve, spot diagram, and MTF. It has been found by the optical performance analysis that the designed optical system satisfies the optical requirements of satellite camera equipped with online optical compensation movements.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2008.10a
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• pp.232-235
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• 2008

The mission of the EO(electro-optical) based low earth orbit satellite is provision of the high-resolution images required for GIS(Geographical Information Systems) establishment and the applications for environmental, agriculture and ocean monitoring. AEISS(Advanced Earth Imaging Sensor System) which is the main payload on the satellite consists of EOS(electro-optical subsystem) and PDTS(Payload Data Transmission Sub-system). IDHU(Image Data Handling Unit) which is one of the major unit in PDTS is capable of compression, storage, encryption and encoding. In this paper, the payload system of the EO based satellite is briefly introduced and the influence of the compression on AEISS is analyzed.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.637-640
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• 2005

In the development of a electronic system for a optical payload comprising mainly EOS(Electro-Optical Sub-system) and PDTS(Payload Data Transmission Sub-system), many aspects should be investigated and discussed for the easy implementation, for th e higher reliability of operation and for the effective ness in cost, size and weight as well as for the secure interface with components of a satellite bus, etc. As important aspects the interfaces between a satellite bus and a payload, and some design features of the CEU(Camera Electronics Unit) inside the payload are described in this paper. Interfaces between a satellite bus and a payload depend considerably on whether t he payload carries the PMU(Payload Management Un it), which functions as main controller of the Payload, or not. With the PMU inside the payload, EOS and PDTS control is performed through the PMU keep ing the least interfaces of control signals and primary power lines, while the EOS and PDTS control is performed directly by the satellite bus components using relatively many control signals when no PMU exists inside the payload. For the CEU design the output channel configurations of panchromatic and multi-spectral bands including the video image data inter face between EOS and PDTS are described conceptually. The timing information control which is also important and necessary to interpret the received image data is described.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2024

This paper discusses a gravity compensation technique designed to reduce wavefront error caused by gravity during the assembly and alignment of satellite multi-band optical sensor. For this study, the wavefront error caused by gravity was analyzed for the opto-mechanical structure of multi-band optical sensor. Wavefront error, an indicator of optical performance, was computed by using the displacements of optics calculated through structural analysis and optical sensitivity calculated through optical analysis. Since the calculated wavefront error caused by gravity exceeded the allocated budget, the gravity compensation technique was required. This compensation technique reduces wavefront error effectively by applying the compensation load to the appropriate position of the housing tube. This method successfully meets the wavefront error budget for all bands. In the future, a gravity compensation equipment applying this technique will be manufactured and used for assembly and alignment of multi-band optical sensor.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.229-235
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• 2015

We estimated the orbit of the Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS), a Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite, through data from actual optical observations using telescopes at the Sobaeksan Optical Astronomy Observatory (SOAO) of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), Optical Wide field Patrol (OWL) at KASI, and the Chungbuk National University Observatory (CNUO) from August 1, 2014, to January 13, 2015. The astrometric data of the satellite were extracted from the World Coordinate System (WCS) in the obtained images, and geometrically distorted errors were corrected. To handle the optically observed data, corrections were made for the observation time, light-travel time delay, shutter speed delay, and aberration. For final product, the sequential filter within the Orbit Determination Tool Kit (ODTK) was used for orbit estimation based on the results of optical observation. In addition, a comparative analysis was conducted between the precise orbit from the ephemeris of the COMS maintained by the satellite operator and the results of orbit estimation using optical observation. The orbits estimated in simulation agree with those estimated with actual optical observation data. The error in the results using optical observation data decreased with increasing number of observatories. Our results are useful for optimizing observation data for orbit estimation.