Parameter Design and Performance Evaluation of a Large-Swath and High-Resolution Space Camera

Area of Science:

• Remote Sensing
• Optical Engineering
• Earth Observation

Background:

• Rotary-scan space cameras with area sensors are crucial for large-width, high-resolution imaging.
• Effective system parameter design is essential for optimizing the performance of these cameras.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model and optimize system parameters for rotary-scan space cameras.
• To evaluate the performance of designed systems for Earth observation applications.

Main Methods:

• Modeling of swath, resolution, and frame overlap rate.
• Development of an optimum algorithm combining linear weighting and Monte Carlo methods.
• Performance evaluation using the grid point method.

Main Results:

• Achieved swaths exceeding 1000 km with sub-meter resolution and no imaging leakage.
• Demonstrated coverage of 82.13% of a 500 km height observation region in 6.5 minutes.
• Attained an average repeated observation frequency of 3.26 times per 118 seconds.

Conclusions:

• The proposed design method is simple and effective for initial rotary-scan space camera parameter design.
• The designed system provides wide coverage with quick scanning and high-frequency repeated observations.
• This technology significantly enhances Earth observation capabilities for wide-area search and rescue missions.