Telescopes for micro-satellites and UAV application

25-mm-camera Telescope series for micro-satellites and UAV application

Our telescope systems are designed especially for these cases including microsatellite e.g. Cubesat applications. Perhaps in no other market are needs for ever-smaller, lighter and less expensive video system payloads as urgent as they are in the microsatellite and unmanned aerial vehicles business. We have developed design of specific optical system usefull for these applications.Basing on this we developed telescopic systems having broad spectral range, diffraction resolution, lightweight and small size with specifications suitable for small satellites and UAV. Compare to competitors, our cameras at similar conditions are capable to get good image at two – three times longer distances.

The first group with input aperture up to 110 mm provided for interchangable 2 different cameras: VIS (Visual) and VIS-SWIR (Short Wave Infra-Red) spectra range. The optical telescopic systems with housings are optimized for operation in vast temperature range and rough conditions.

The second group telescope specification with input aperture 250 mm for interchangable cameras in VIS/VIS-SWIR spectra range.

The telescopes base specifications

 

Model       D- Input  f-number Calculated* FOW    FOW     Airy Dia** Spectral   Linear     BFL     Output

Aperture   (F/D)       Linear        β°/h    at1000     λ=530/     Range      Res.     (mm)     Mount/

(mm)                       Res          (mm)   m dist.   1590 nm    (nm)      at1000              Matrix

λ=530/                    (m)       (arc sec)                 m dist.at                size

1590 nm                                                           λ=530/                (inc)

                                          (μm)                                                                 1590 nm

(cm)

T75-1           75         1.93         1.25/         2.5°/       44        1.8/5.3       450/        0.87/       4.0     Custom

3.75          6.4                                      1600        2.57                    1/4

T76-M1        76         3.66         2.3/          3.5°/        61         1.75/         450/        0.85/       2.0     Custom

6.9           17                        5.26        1600        2.57                    2/3

T75-G1***    75         9.51         4.52/        0.68°/      12        1.78/          450/        0.87/       5.4     Custom

12.9(at        8.5                     3.56(at      1300        2.58                    1/3

1060nm)                              1060nm)

T75-G2***    75       11.68          4.23/        1.0°/     17.5        1.78/          450/       0.87/      0.15    Custom

18.2(at       16.4                    3.56(at      1300     1.73(at                  2/3

1060nm)                              1060nm)                 1060nm)

T75-G3***    75         9.52         6.16/         0.8°/      14          1.8/            450/       0.87/       5.25    Custom

12.8(at         5                       5.3(at        1300       2.57                    1/5

1060nm)                              1060nm)

T102-2       102         1.75       1.13/3.39    5.0°/       87         1.3/            450/       0.63/       0.62    Custom

17                         3.9           1600       1.9                       2/3

T250-3       250         3.14          2/6           3.5°/       61         0.53/           450/      0.26/      14.0   CS-mount

48.6                      1.6            1600       0.78         2

where

*/ – Calculated Linear Resolution: σ ~1.22 λ*F/D – in μm

**/ – Airy disk is calculated as sinθ ~1.22 λ/D; θ – in Radians

***/ – noninverted image in the telescope output.

The optical telescopes parameters above include achievable (calculated) optical system resolution, spectral range and other parameters. The real observable object resolution with the named above telescopes, installed on the moving platform is dependent on wide variety of application conditions, e.g. used video camera/video sensor parameters, optical filters, imaging software, atmospheric condition, object illumination and the direction of a telescope to object, object tracking parameters, moving platform motion parameters and other conditions which in general can significantly degrade the resulting observable object resolution compared with the same telescope calculated resolution (in practise at least two or more times).

 

The telescope can provide the folloving resolution:

  • face-recognition: with resolution of less then 0.3 cm
  • armed men (small arms) recognition: with resolution of less then 3 cm
  • man recognition: with resolution of less then 6 cm
  • motocar (pattern: 4 x 2.5 m) recognition: with resolution of less then 30 cm
  • truck (pattern: 8 x 2.5 m) recognition: with resolution of less then 80 cm
  • ship (pattern: 15 x 6 m) recognition: with resolution of less then 300 cm.

T76-M1 telescope specification

Advanced design 3 component catadioptric telescope.

Angular field of view: 3º.5

Spectral range: 450 – 1600 nm

Telescope size (D x L): 86 x 180 mm

Telescope weight: < 0.7 kg

Operating temperature range: -20°C up to +40°C.

T250-3 telescope specification

Advanced design 3 component catadioptric telescope.

Angular field of view: 3º.5

Spectral range: 450 – 1600 nm

Telescope size (D x L): 280 x 500 mm

Telescope weight: < 15 kg

Operating temperature range: -20°C up to +40°C.

The image produced by 250 mm aperture telescope optical system is focusing sensitive and camera focusing device is integrated.