Solar Simulation For Testing Off-Axis Light Attenuation Of A Star Sensor Assembly

Stephen Kendrick; Robert Kovacs; Angelo La Vaglia

doi:10.1117/12.964609

26 September 1977 Solar Simulation For Testing Off-Axis Light Attenuation Of A Star Sensor Assembly

Stephen Kendrick, Robert Kovacs, Angelo La Vaglia

Proceedings Volume 0107, Stray Light Problems in Optical Systems; (1977) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.964609
Event: 1977 SPIE/SPSE Technical Symposium East, 1977, Reston, United States

Abstract

The presence of extraneous light sources has often represented a problem to the reli-able operation of stellar sensors. The Bendix Star Sensor Assembly (SSA) is designed to accurately detect faint stars (+4 visual magnitude) with the existence of bright objects (sun, moon, etc.) near the field of view. A measurement was needed of the SS's off-axis light attenuation when operating as close as 40° to the sun. This was accomplished through careful control of a 16 by 10 meter solar-thermal-vacuum chamber. Background scattered light was minimized and mapped enabling accurate photometric testing with the SSA under going simulated solar impingement. The test results showed that the SSA will provide a minimum system attenuation of 10¹³:1 when operating at 40° to the sun. This paper sum marizes the test concepts and techniques formulated and the problems resolved in proving that a) such a test was indeed feasible and would reliably represent an accurate measure of SSA performance and b) the SSA did, in fact, perform to its requirement.

Citation Download Citation

Stephen Kendrick, Robert Kovacs, and Angelo La Vaglia "Solar Simulation For Testing Off-Axis Light Attenuation Of A Star Sensor Assembly", Proc. SPIE 0107, Stray Light Problems in Optical Systems, (26 September 1977); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.964609

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