KESTREL CORP — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF203-CSO2

Description

Kestrel Corporation (Kestrel) proposes to address needed improvement in the information capabilities in support of Space Domain Awareness sensor systems with a novel 2D Hyperspectral Imaging system so that contact assessments on Space Object behavior can be made accurately and quickly enough for the operator to recognize them and make appropriate decisions. Kestrel has a long history of spectral system innovations and has identified several approaches can be studied and developed based upon a combination of hyperspectral imaging technologies that also fit the requirements at hand. Based upon its past experience, Kestrel believes that its 2D Hyperspectral Imaging approach will result in both a scalable and practical SWAP (size, weight and power), is robust enough for a wide range of platform implementations, and will remain highly affordable (based upon previous trade studies). In addition, unlike other approaches, the communications and on-board processing bandwidths will be equally reasonable. The resulting technological solution will not only support real-time assessments but also small object (below conventional spatial resolution thresholds) identification and tracking. In other words, Kestrel’s solution will enable real-time contextual object assessment in direct support of defensive Space Security objectives.