Towards photometry pipeline of the Indonesian space surveillance system

TL;DR

This paper develops a photometric analysis pipeline using a rehabilitated telescope and image processing techniques to detect and analyze medium-sized orbital debris, demonstrating its potential for Indonesia's space surveillance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel optical debris detection method combining Hough transformation and aperture photometry for space surveillance in Indonesia.

Findings

Detected and identified two satellites from image analysis.

Revealed periodic tumbling behavior of debris.

Demonstrated feasibility of optical surveillance pipeline.

Abstract

Optical observation through sub-meter telescope equipped with CCD camera becomes alternative method for increasing orbital debris detection and surveillance. This observational mode is expected to eye medium-sized objects in higher orbits (e.g. MEO, GTO, GSO \& GEO), beyond the reach of usual radar system. However, such observation of fast-moving objects demands special treatment and analysis technique. In this study, we performed photometric analysis of the satellite track images photographed using rehabilitated Schmidt Bima Sakti telescope in Bosscha Observatory. The Hough transformation was implemented to automatically detect linear streak from the images. From this analysis and comparison to USSPACECOM catalog, two satellites were identified and associated with inactive Thuraya-3 satellite and Satcom-3 debris which are located at geostationary orbit. Further aperture photometry analysis revealed the periodicity of tumbling Satcom-3 debris. In the near future, it is not impossible to apply similar scheme to establish an analysis pipeline for optical space surveillance system hosted in Indonesia.