JPH10132933A - Laser radar system and laser radar for satellite installation - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To reduce the size and weight of an optical head unit and arrange them in a satellite, thereby improving the degree of freedom of components and avoiding interference such as a docking mechanism. SOLUTION: An artificial satellite laser radar system having an electronic circuit unit 2 for receiving an optical signal transmitted from an optical head unit 1 and converting the optical signal into an electric signal in an artificial satellite of a chaser satellite 10 and a target satellite 11 is provided. The reflector 3 attached to the target satellite 10, the light transmitting unit 4 for irradiating the reflector 3 with laser light toward the chaser satellite 11, and the reflected light from the reflector 3 are input to the reflector 3.
It includes a distance measuring unit 8 and an angle measuring unit 9 for detecting a relative position of the target satellite 10 at the target, which is a distance and a reflection direction, and an optical fiber 15 for connecting the optical head 1 and the electronic circuit unit 2. .

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a laser radar for mounting on a satellite.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A laser radar mounted on an artificial satellite, commonly called a rendezvous radar. Some laser radars include an optical system and a signal processing unit for distance measurement and angle measurement.

[0003] For example, there is a laser radar described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-348247. The laser described in this publication is configured to time-division multiplex communication data and a ranging signal in a transmission data multiplexing unit.

For docking of a laser radar described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-152317, a receiver for receiving a position signal and a time signal from each satellite is mounted, and a chaser satellite and a target are referred to by referring to the received information. The time synchronization between satellites is ensured.

Further, there is a laser radar described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-187093. This laser radar has a light transmitting unit including a laser diode as a light emitting element and a laser diode driver in an optical head unit, a distance measuring receiving unit including an avalanche photodiode as a signal detecting element for reflected light from a reflector, and azimuth information of the reflector. An angle measuring light receiving unit including a CCD for detection, a CCD driver, and the like, and an optical lens system are mounted. Further, the electronic circuit section has a distance measurement processing section, and processes output signals from the distance measurement receiving section and the angle measurement light receiving section.

[0006]

However, in conventional laser radars mounted on artificial satellites, in the optical head section, the optical transmitting section, the distance measuring receiving section, the angle measuring light receiving section, and the optical lens system are all optical head sections. Therefore, this is an obstacle to downsizing the optical head.

In the conventional laser radar, the optical head is mounted on the docking surface on the side of the chaser satellite, and is arranged so as to face the reflector mounted on the docking surface of the target satellite. There is a problem that the observation visual field interferes with a structure such as a communication antenna.

For this reason, for example, in a docking sensor in a case where the flying objects dock on the orbit,
Since the optical head is mounted on the docking surface of the chaser satellite and faces the reflector mounted on the docking surface of the target satellite, interference occurs between the viewing angle of the docking sensor and the docking mechanism structure. There's a problem.

An object of the present invention is to reduce the size of an optical head,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser radar system and a laser radar for mounting on an artificial satellite, which are reduced in weight and arranged in a satellite, thereby improving the degree of freedom of constituent parts.

Another object of the present invention is to avoid interference such as a docking mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to mount a plurality of optical heads in a satellite to enable a redundant configuration to improve reliability.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A laser radar system mounted on a satellite according to the present invention comprises an optical head means, and an electronic circuit means for receiving an optical signal transmitted from the optical head means and converting the optical signal into an electric signal. A laser radar system mounted on a first satellite and a second satellite, the reflector being attached to the first satellite, and the second satellite having a laser directed toward the reflector. Laser beam irradiating means for irradiating light, detecting means for detecting the relative position of the first artificial satellite at the target, which is the distance and the reflecting direction, using reflected light from the reflector means as input, optical head means and electronic circuit means And fiber means for connecting

A laser radar for mounting on an artificial satellite according to the present invention includes an optical head unit and an electronic circuit for receiving an optical signal transmitted from the optical head unit and converting the optical signal into an electric signal. In the laser radar for onboard artificial satellites, the corner cube reflector affixed to the target satellite, the chaser satellite has a laser beam irradiator that irradiates laser light toward the corner cube reflector, and the reflection from the corner cube reflector It has a detection unit that receives light as input and detects the relative position of the target satellite at the target, which is the distance and reflection direction, and an optical fiber unit that connects the optical head unit and the electronic circuit unit.

With the above arrangement, according to the present invention, the distance measuring receiving unit and the angle measuring light receiving unit inside the optical head unit are incorporated in the electronic circuit unit, so that the optical head unit can be reduced in size and weight. Further, since the miniaturized optical head unit and electronic circuit unit can be connected to each other by an optical fiber, the degree of freedom of arrangement in a satellite can be improved. This makes it possible to arrange rendezvous docking that can avoid interference with, for example, a docking mechanism.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a laser radar system for mounting on an artificial satellite and a laser radar according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a chaser satellite 10 and a target satellite 11 at a position facing the chaser satellite 10. An optical head unit 1 and an electronic circuit unit 2 are mounted on the chaser satellite 10, and the optical head unit 1 and the electronic circuit unit 2 are connected by an optical fiber 15. The corner cube reflector 3 is attached to the surface of the target satellite 11.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a specific configuration of the chaser satellite 10. In FIG. 2, the Choisa satellite 1
In the optical head section No. 0, a laser diode as a light emitting element, an optical transmitting section 4 including a laser diode driver for driving the laser diode, and a target satellite 1
1. A distance measuring receiver 5 including an avalanche photodiode as a signal detecting element for detecting an optical signal of light reflected from the reflector 3, a charge couple device (CCD) for detecting azimuth information of the reflector 3, and driving the CCD An angle measuring light receiving section 6 including a CCD driver and the like and an optical lens system 7 are mounted.

The electronic circuit unit 2 includes a distance measurement processing unit 8 that performs arithmetic processing, output processing, registration processing, and the like for distance measurement in accordance with the distance measurement signal received by the distance measurement reception unit 5.
And an angle measurement processing unit 9 that performs arithmetic processing, output processing, registration processing, and the like for angle measurement according to the angle measurement signal received by the angle measurement light receiving unit 6.

In this embodiment, inside the optical head unit 1,
Light focusing system 13 dedicated to distance measuring system and light focusing system 1 dedicated to angle measuring system
4 and these light receiving signals can be sent to the electronic circuit section 2 through the optical fiber 15. The electronic circuit unit 2 can receive the distance measuring receiving unit 5 and the angle measuring light receiving unit 6.

The optical head section is reduced in size and weight and arranged in the satellite to improve the degree of freedom of the constituent sections.

In the embodiment described above, the distance measuring receiving unit 5 and the angle measuring light receiving unit 6 inside the optical head unit 1 are taken into the electronic circuit unit 2 to make the optical head unit 1 small and lightweight. be able to. In addition, since the miniaturized optical head unit 1 and electronic circuit unit 2 can be connected to each other by the optical fiber 15, the degree of freedom of arrangement in the satellite can be improved. This makes it possible to realize a rendezvous docking arrangement capable of avoiding interference with, for example, a docking mechanism.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of optical heads 1 are mounted in a satellite to enable a redundant configuration to improve reliability.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a modified embodiment of the present invention, and shows the configuration of the chaser satellite 10. As shown in FIG.
In the chaser satellite 10, when the docking mechanism 16 is mounted on the docking surface, optical interference is further avoided as compared with the above embodiment. Therefore, the optical head unit 1
7 and the downsized electronic circuit section 18 are connected by the optical fiber 15.

As a result, in the present embodiment, the degree of freedom can be increased even within the satellite where the mounting area is restricted, and the optical fiber 15 can be arranged via the optical fiber 15 laid in the gap between the internally mounted devices. Can be connected. Therefore, the optical fiber is suitable for mounting in that the electromagnetic fiber is excellent in electromagnetic compatibility and there is no restriction on wiring layout.

[0025]

According to the present invention as described above,
By taking the distance measuring receiver and angle measuring light receiver inside the optical head into the electronic circuit, the optical head can be reduced in size,
By achieving high integration by semiconductor integration technology, a significant reduction in size and weight can be realized.

According to the present invention, the optical head unit and the electronic circuit unit, which have been miniaturized, are connected to each other by an optical fiber, so that the degree of freedom in arrangement in the satellite can be greatly improved. A possible rendezvous docking arrangement is possible to avoid interference with the docking mechanism and the like.

Further, according to the present invention, if the rendezvous sensor is reduced in size and weight, a plurality of optical head units can be mounted within a limited mountable weight range.
It is possible to achieve effects such as enabling a redundant configuration and improving reliability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the configuration of an embodiment of a laser radar system mounted on an artificial satellite and a laser radar according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a specific configuration of a laser radar system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration in a modified example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Optical head part 2 Electronic circuit part 3 Reflector 4 Optical transmitting part 5 Distance measuring receiving part 6 Angle measuring light receiving part 7 Optical lens system 8 Distance measuring processing part 9 Angle measuring processing part 10 Chaser satellite 11 Target satellite 13 Light condensing system 14 Light focusing system 15 Optical fiber 16 Docking mechanism 17 Optical head 18 Electronic circuit

Claims (9)

[Claims] A laser for mounting on an artificial satellite having optical head means and electronic circuit means for receiving an optical signal transmitted from the optical head means and converting it into an electric signal in the first and second artificial satellites. In the radar system, reflector means attached to the first artificial satellite; laser light irradiating means for irradiating the second artificial satellite with laser light toward the reflector means; and reflection from the reflector means. Detecting means for detecting the relative position of the first artificial satellite in the target, which is a distance and a reflection direction, with light as input, and fiber means for connecting the optical head means and the electronic circuit means. Laser radar system for artificial satellites. 2. The optical head means includes a first light condensing means for a distance measuring process, a second light condensing means for a distance measuring process, and the first and second lights. 2. A laser radar system for mounting on an artificial satellite according to claim 1, further comprising: an optical fiber means for transmitting a light reception signal received by the light condensing means from the optical head means to the electronic circuit means. 3. The optical head means includes laser diode means as a light emitting element and light transmitting means comprising a laser diode driver for driving the laser diode means. 3. The laser radar system for mounting on an artificial satellite according to 2. 4. The optical head section has a distance measuring and receiving means comprising a first photodiode for detecting an optical signal of light reflected from the reflector, and a measuring device comprising a detecting device for detecting azimuth information of the reflector. And a corner light receiving means.
4. The laser radar system for mounting on an artificial satellite according to any one of 3. 5. An electronic circuit connected to the optical head unit by an optical fiber, a distance measuring unit for performing arithmetic processing and storage processing based on a distance receiving signal received by the distance receiving unit; 5. An artificial satellite mounting according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: an angle measurement processing unit that performs arithmetic processing and storage processing based on the angle measurement reception signal received by the angle measurement reception unit. Laser radar system. 6. A laser radar mounted on an artificial satellite having an optical head unit and an electronic circuit unit for receiving an optical signal transmitted from the optical head unit and converting the optical signal into an electric signal in a target satellite and a chaser satellite. A corner cube reflector attached to the target satellite; a laser beam irradiating unit for irradiating a laser beam toward the corner cube reflector; and a reflected light from the corner cube reflector. A detection unit for detecting a relative position of a target satellite at a target which is a reflection direction, and an optical fiber unit connecting the optical head unit and the electronic circuit unit, a laser for mounting on a satellite, Radar. 7. A first light condensing unit for a distance measuring process, a second light condensing unit for a distance measuring process, and the first and second light converging units in the optical head unit. The laser radar for mounting on an artificial satellite according to claim 6, further comprising: an optical fiber for transmitting a light reception signal received by the optical unit from the optical head unit to the electronic circuit. 8. An optical head unit, comprising: a laser diode as a light emitting element; a light transmitting unit including a laser diode driver for driving the laser diode; and a light detecting unit for detecting an optical signal of light reflected from the reflector. 8. An artificial satellite according to claim 6, further comprising: a distance measuring receiving unit including one photodiode; and an angle measuring light receiving unit including a detecting device for detecting azimuth information of the reflector. Laser radar. 9. A distance measurement processing unit that performs arithmetic processing and storage processing based on a distance measurement reception signal received by the distance measurement reception unit, wherein the electronic circuit connected to the optical head unit by an optical fiber; The laser radar for mounting on an artificial satellite according to claim 7, further comprising an angle measurement processing unit that performs arithmetic processing and storage processing based on the angle measurement reception signal received by the angle measurement reception unit.