PhD Proposal by

Timothy Murphy

Advisor:  Dr. Marcus Holzinger

“Integrated Tasking, Processing, and Orbit Determination for Optical Sensors in an SDA Framework”

Friday, October 28, 2016, 12:00 - 2:00 pm

Montgomery-Knight Room 317

Abstract:

To create a more efficient space surveillance network, interconnectivity between modeling methods for astrodynamic priors, advanced, high-sensitivity image processing, and sensor tasking should be used to improve the performance and efficiency of all the individual processes. The proposed work provides insight into how to vertically integrate an SSA system. The first contribution describes how to adapt modern visual tracking methods into an SSA detection algorithm. Then, visual tracking methods are integrated with advanced astrodynamics methods to obtain increased performance for both the detection method and the orbit determination process, linking modern detection methods and orbit parameter estimation. The third contribution designs a sensor tasking strategy based on advanced astrodynamics techniques. This work provides a rigorous and general approach, based on optimization techniques, to task a sensor to search for a particular object. Finally, design of a method that integrates detection methods with how sensors are tasked closes the loop. Specifically, this contribution develops a multi-objective optimal approach to choosing sensor tasking parameters.