The Bering target tracking instrumentation

Abstract

The key science instrument on the Bering satellite mission is a relative small telescope with an entrance aperture of 300 mm and a focal length between 500 and 1000 mm. The detection of potential targets is performed by one of the target scanning advanced stellar compasses (ASCs). This procedure results in a simple prioritized list of right ascension, declination, proper motion and intensity of each prospective target. The telescope itself has a dedicated ASC Camera Head Unit (CHU) mounted on the secondary mirror, largely co-aligned with the telescope. This CHU accurately determines the telescope's pointing direction. To achieve fast tracking over a large solid angle, the telescope pointing is achieved by means of a folding mirror in the optical pathway. When a prospective target approaches the telescope FOV, the ASC on the secondary will guide the folding mirror into position such that the target is inside the telescope FOV. During the telescope observation time, the ASC will constantly control the folding mirror to correctly position the target at the center of the telescope, basically performing a standard telescope tracking service. The telescope will alter the initial target acquisition track and observe the object of interest. To achieve milliarcsecond accuracy the telescope is equipped with a tip-tilt system on the secondary. The performance of the acquisition and telescope guidance has been tested and excellent noise, acquisition and settling time performance has been achieved. The operations have been verified for telescope focal lengths of 250 and 8000 mm.