Asteroid detection space telescope CCD camera operating in TDI mode useful signal accumulation time increase assessment results

Abstract

To ensure the detection of asteroids approaching Earth, it is possible to place space telescopes (STs) in the orbit of the Earth's revolution around the Sun, to control a continuous barrier zone in outer space around the Earth. An algorithm for outer space scanning is examined, in which the field of view of a space telescope rotates around the certain direction between the telescope placed on the Earth's heliocentric orbit and some other point also belonging to this orbit. Thus space telescope CCD array also rotates around this direction. As a result of rotation, the length of the asteroid image path along the pixels of the CCD column is increased by 4-5 times, depending on the number of charge accumulation steps being realized. This new surveying configuration allows to reduce significantly (up to $\sim 40$%) the minimal size of an asteroid being detected in comparison with the single-frame shooting mode. The expediency of continuous scanning by a space telescope using a CCD column operating in the TDI mode of a limited part of the celestial sphere is substantiated. A significant reduction in the requirements for the system of orientation and stabilization of spacecraft was reached.