Specular Array Radiometric Calibration of Earth-Imaging Satellites

Raytheon Space & Airborne Systems Engineering, 2006-07

Liaison(s): Tom Chrien, John Silny, Stephen Schiller
Advisor(s): Qimin Yang
Students(s): Dane Lindblad (TL), Stephen Brawner, Heather Martelle, Mike Chan (F), Matthew Jeffryes (S)

The project is focused around verification of a new method of satellite calibration involving the imaging of arrays of spherical mirrors. The team is verifying that the SPARC method is cheaper, more accurate, and more easily deployable than previous methods. The project involved characterizing the top of atmosphere intensity of sunlight, transmittance of the atmosphere, change in reflectance over time of the reflectors, and analyzing the data from satellite flybys.