Abstract: A compact celestial tracker includes a platform, a rotation stage that rotatably coupled to the platform to rotate a plane of the platform about a rotation axis and that supports the platform on a substrate, an off-axis parabolic mirror mounted to one side of the platform and having a focal plane directed at an acute angle that is between the rotation axis and the plane of the platform to reflect and focus the beam at a point above another side of the platform, and a detector coupled to the other side of the platform to receive and detect the reflected and focused beam.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 5, 2021
Date of Patent:
October 1, 2024
Assignee:
United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
Inventors:
Natasha L. Porter, Stephen S. Pearson, Joshua D. Deboer, Nicholas M. Holzer, August D. Hammer, Walter R. Henson, II, Bryan J. Rausch, Lance R. Sherlock, Brent Rehkemper
Inventors:
Natasha L. Porter, Stephen S. Pearson, Joshua D. Deboer, Nicholas M. Holzer, August D. Hammer, Walter R. Henson, II, Bryan J. Rausch, Lance R. Sherlock, Brent Rehkemper, Amy C. Carlson
Inventors:
Natasha L. Porter, Stephen S. Pearson, Joshua D. Deboer, Nicholas M. Holzer, August D. Hammer, Walter R. Henson, II, Bryan J. Rausch, Lance R. Sherlock, Brent Rehkemper