Abstract Details

Name: Bikram Pradhan
Affiliation: Space science, Technologies and Astrophysics Research (STAR) Institute,Université de Liège, Institut d′Astrophysique et de Géophysique, Allée du 6 Aôut 19c, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Conference ID: ASI2020_221
Title : Space debris detection and characterization using the 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT)
Authors and Co-Authors : Bikram Pradhan
Abstract Type : Poster
Abstract Category : Sun and the Solar System
Abstract : The size distribution of space debris constitutes an important input to risk analysis for current and future space missions. In preparation for future observations with the zenith-pointing 4-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT), the 1.3-m Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope (DFOT) was used to gain experience with zenith-pointing observations and, serendipitously, to detect, identify and characterize orbital debris. Observational data were acquired on several nights using a 2048×2048-pixel CCD detector operating in time-delay integration mode. The debris streaks were detected visually, mostly during dawn and twilight. All were identified by correlation with available two-line element sets. By modeling each of the objects as a diffuse-specular Lambertian sphere with an assumed albedo value, their effective diameters were estimated from the observed apparent magnitudes, altitudes,velocities and solar phase angles. The detection size limit of DFOT is found to be 50 cm for objects orbiting at an altitude of 1000 km. Images from the future ILMT photometric survey are expected to provide detection of space debris having diameters as small as 5 cm at this altitude. An efficient algorithm based on matched filtering for the automatic detection of the faint debris streaks invisible to human eyes will also be discussed along with its future perspectives.