MIDES infrared sensor for altitude

Discussion in 'Architecture & Engineering' started by draqon, Nov 20, 2008.

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  1. draqon Banned Banned

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    infrared sensors can be used to find the thermal differences of planet Earth as seen from spacecraft and these differences in layers represent the altitude of spacecraft. How would the architecture of such an apparatus work?

    Anyone got a more detailed engineering spec's on MIDES?
     
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  3. draqon Banned Banned

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    Other altitude proposed sensors...wouldn't magnetometer be useful?
     
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  5. CheskiChips Banned Banned

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    Maybe the sensor detects the quantity of a specific band of long-wave radiation, one unaltered by atmospheric conditions. The long wave radiation would follow the inverse square law, and therefore if there was a known amount that should exist altitude could be determined.
    Although I don't exactly understand why this would be the preferred technique, one would think there to be many better methods.

    A detection of the gravitational pull would be useful, it would have to take into account the change in gravitation along the sphere. If I recall, equatorial gravity is significantly less at long distances compared to polar gravity. However this would seem to be no less effective than accounting for the moderate changes in long-wave radiation expulsion over a daily cycle...or the different geological landforms.
     
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  7. draqon Banned Banned

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    Cheski the problem with gravity change sensor is that their are extremely expensive, heavy, and are prone to brake.

    The idea is to have a sensor to determine altitude the cheapest way and a sensor that would weigh the least.

    The above paper shows that IRES sensors can be lightweight and with IR sensors on a low price range these days...assembling an altitude sensor out of it would be possible. Now all I need is an algorithm.
     
  8. draqon Banned Banned

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    yeah but you got to ackowledge the fact that the rocket will not fly straight up and the fact that its thrust will vary from instabilities in the combustion and therefore the accelerometer will not be that much of use for altitude perception. And the change in gravity from equatorial to poles are not that great, how would these changes be accounted for on a scale of just 50 miles range for example?
     
  9. draqon Banned Banned

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    Basically I need orbital mechanics algorthms...anyone know were I can get them?
     
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