LINEAR SCANNING SEEKER WITH SINGLE AXIS ROTATION

A linear scanning seeker with optical components mounted on a common rotational axis to facilitate field of view target area scanning without introducing unwanted precessional torques. The optical elements, with the exception of one prism, form an integral portion of a spinning gyroscopic mass. The seeker spin axis is defined by the gyroscopic mass spin axis. A parabolic primary mirror, which is cut into the face of the gyroscopic mass, and a slanted secondary mirror are positioned along the gyroscopic mass spin axis. A concave mirror and a prism are arranged to direct the incoming energy beam onto a detector in a direction orthogonal to the seeker spin axis. As the gyroscopic mass spins, energy beams from the seeker field of view are reflected off the primary, secondary, and concave mirrors. These energy beams are directed through the prism and scan the detector in a curved radial sweep pattern. The prism may be made to rotate in the same direction or in a direction opposite to the direction of spin of the gyroscopic mass. Rotating the prism in a direction opposite to the direction of the spinning gyroscopic mass increases the density of the curved radials. This same effect may be achieved by increasing the rotational speed of the gyroscopic spinning mass. In this invention, the gyroscopic mass and the prism are rotated about a common spin axis. This eliminates the necessity to counter rotate a mass to cancel the moment generated by the prism if it is not spun parallel to the seeker spin axis. A target is displayed on one of the beams when a target is present in the seeker field of view. Magnetic sensors react with magnets on the rotating gyroscopic mass and on the prism to indicate where a target is located in the seeker field of view when an image from the target is displayed on the detector.