05 May 2011
The Formation Flying Satellite missions foreseen in the upcoming decades will cover a large range of performances and will employ a wide panel of technologies, including sensors and actuators. These technologies are essential in efficiently completing the perfect coordination of the Formation Flying Satellites. In order to obtain such perfect coordination, advanced systems of optical tele-detection need to be employed.
Thales Alenia Space España will present at the conference the paper: Coarse Lateral Sensor (CLS): An Electro-optical Positioning System for Formation Flying Satellites; a topic highlighting the pioneering knowledge of the Spanish Company
The aim of the CLS is to align two satellites that are in a determined constellation (meaning Formation Flying Satellites). The CLS will obtain this objective by measuring the lateral distance through the light-link between a transmitter and a reflective element. Through this measurement, the transmitter and the reflective element will be located by each spacecraft, which will then allow them to be aligned to each other.
Thales Alenia Space España, designs, develops and integrates optical detection subsystems for the portrayal of image sensors and the integration and testing of detection systems. These subsystems are being are currently being applied in important National and European Programs: ESA´s GSTP4, SENTINEL, INGENIO, and for a HR optical export missions for a NATO country.