Space-based asteroid detection and monitoring system

A satellite-borne system for the detection of near earth objects. The system periodically captures two images of the celestial sphere about the earth using a pair of linear arrays of optical detectors oriented so that the detectors image lines on the celestial sphere that are separated at each pixel in azimuth by the same angle. The position of the linear detectors is varied for each orbit of the earth by the satellite such that the entire celestial sphere can be imaged. The images produced by the two detector arrays are temporarily stored in memory until they can be processed using frame difference signal processing techniques. The results from the frame difference signal processing are transmitted to a ground station for further processing. The processing on the ground can include object classification, orbit tracking (using a time sequence of differenced frames), and earth collision determination and warning.