Program Overview

Program Overview

The Optical Satellite Tracking program is led by Dr. Nicholas Rattenbury and Dr. John Cater. This project aims to adapt a Meade LX200 GPS telescope to track a satellite, involving the interface of existing satellite orbit prediction software with commonly used telescope control protocols.

Program Description

The program will investigate how to adapt a Meade LX200 GPS telescope to track a satellite. This will involve interfacing the output from existing satellite orbit prediction software to commonly used telescope control protocols, and demonstrating the successful performance of the system.

Stretch Goals

• Performing photometry on the satellite images to extract a photometric time series
  • Utilising existing theoretical models of satellite reflection to predict luminosity as seen from a point on the Earth
  • Comparing the two
• Performing basic positional analysis of the satellite position as compared to background star trails
  • Comparing these to publicly available satellite orbital position ephemerides

Program Outcome

One of the Physics Department's Meade LX200 GPS telescopes will be able to track a satellite in orbit.

Specializations

The program is specialized in Engineering Science.

Prerequisites

The ideal students will have training in mechatronics. Experience with optical systems is preferred but not essential. Experience with astronomical observations and telescope systems and imaging is also preferred but not essential.