CHAPTER 2.

LITERATURE

2.2.3

Process of determining pitch and roll using a 2-D EHS

Figure 2.2: Process of determining pitch and roll using a 2-D EHS

1. Energy radiated or reected from the Earth falls unto a detector to form a image. 2. Image processing can be used to make the image clearer for more accurate measurements. 3. An edge detection algorithm is used to produce an edge map, the edges represent the horizon. 4. Curve or line tting is used to give a mathematical representation of the horizon relative to the image. 5. Roll and pitch data is calculated from the mathematical representation.

2.3

Why operate in the IR spectrum? [12]

As previously mentioned , an EHS can operate in either the visible band or the IR band of the electromagnetic spectrum. The reasons for deciding on an EHS that operates in the IR band rather than using the visible band are discussed in this section.

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE

Radiation in the visible spectral band as viewed from a satellite is caused by sunlight that is reected from the Earth. The advantage of making use of radiation in the visible spectral band for EHS designs is that detectors are readily available in the commercial market at relative competitive prices. The technology expansion over the last decade in the digital imaging eld has also resulted in the performance improvements in the characteristics of these detectors such as SNR and resolution. A wider range of optical components is also available for use with these detectors. As a result of the above reasons, the majority of EHS designs operate in the visible spectral range. The main drawback of these sensors is that they are inoperable when the spacecraft is in eclipse since no sunlight is reected from the Earth (see left image in gure 2.3) or when the FOV of the EHS is directed to the sun and experienced sun-blinding.

Figure 2.3: The Earth in eclipse viewed in the visible spectrum (left) and infrared spectrum (right) [24]

Radiation from the earth in the IR spectral range is caused by the emission of photons with energy that corresponds with this specic spectral range. The intensity (energy emitted per time unit) of IR radiation (specically the wavelengths longer than 5 m) is in the same order of magnitude on the eclipse side of the Earth as on the sunlit side. Sun interference in the IR spectral band is also approximately 75 times less than in the visible spectral band and

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE

10

is limited to the lower wavelengths of the IR spectral band. Other small advantages of operating in the IR region is less local uctuations, less seasonal variations and a bigger contrast between Earth and space. The major drawback of detectors that operate in the IR spectral range is cost and limited availability of commercial units. IR detectors are also less sensitive than detectors that operate in the visible spectral band and IR detectors with sizes approaching the pixel resolution of the lower end of detectors that operate in the visible spectral range are expensive. The limited operational use of an EHS operation in the visible spectral band makes it worthwhile to use the infrared earth horizon sensor as an alternative option.

2.4

The Earths IR Horizon [13]

This section is a summary of the results of an extensive study that was carried out to serve as input for the development of horizon sensors [13]. The results and conclusions of this study was applied during the execution of this project and all the graphs used in this section are from [13]. Tabel 2.1 list the most important wavelength intervals that were investigated. Name 6.3H2 O band O3 band Atmospheric Window CO2 band Rotational H2 O band Wavelength in m 6.33 - 6.85 8.9 - 10.1 10.75 - 11.75 14 - 16 21 - 125 Major Absorber H2 O O3 H2 O CO2 H2 O Secondary Absorber None H2 O Dust O3 ,H2 O None

Table 2.1: Wavelength intervals considered [13]

The gaps between these intervals are semi-transparent and only absorb a small percentage of energy. In the ranges above and below these intervals only a small fraction of thermal energy is available and not of interest.

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