Optical Design, Tolerance Analysis, and Baffling of Very High-Resolution Satellite Telescopes

Abstract

The telescope design of a very high-resolution earth observation satellite is a challenging task due to several constraints, including the size, mass, performance, tolerance and environmental aspects. However, the demand for very high-resolution satellite imagery has increased day by day due to the numerous commercial and military applications. In this paper, an optical configuration for a ground sampling distance (GSD) of 25 cm is investigated according to a definite mission statement. The configuration represents on-axis Korsch scheme with the advantage of small conic mirror constants without higher-order parameters. In addition, a tolerance analysis utilizing a Monte Carlo algorithm is performed. The suggested baffling arrangement based on a series of point sources with different off-axis angles isderived. The size of the telescope is applicable to be launched into space by the current launch vehicles.