Multi-spacecraft optimal interferometric imaging.

Abstract

We consider a multi-spacecraft distributed formation consisting of several free-flying spacecraft, each carrying a relatively small telescope (compared to the system baseline). As the spacecraft execute maneuvers, it is supposed that the collected beams from selected pairs of telescopes are interfered to produce a continuous sequence of measurements to form interferometric images. The potential of a space borne interferometer is relevant to missions being planned by NASA under the Origins program. This work focuses on the design of a free flying space borne interferometer with the goal of attaining improved image quality for the de-convolved images produced by interferometry. A formulation of the image acquisition process relevant to the multi-spacecraft formation leads to the development of an image quality metric based on the evolving modulation transfer function (MTF) of the system and the signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, the optimal imaging problem is discussed based on analysis of the system's resolution disc in the spatial frequency domain. The problem is then formulated as a coverage problem in which several solutions are presented as coverage algorithms. The performance of these algorithms is assessed using a simulation tool developed using Matlab<super>RTM</super>. Finally, we implement image processing techniques embedded within the image acquisition process with the goal of improving the quality of the de-convolved image.