An Internal Calibration Unit (ICU) has been designed, built, and tested to meet a stringent set of quantitative performance requirements for an infrared sensor in a Schmidt telescope configuration. The design concept is readily applicable to re-imaging telescopes. The design optimizes optics, source design, and power supply electronics for irradiance accuracy, repeatability, and uniformity, as well as power and weight.
Access to an internal calibration reference system during flight is an important requirement for contemporary remote sensing missions. L-3 Communications SSG-Tinsley has designed, built, and tested a novel internal calibration source based on ribbon sources. Via a flip-in mirror, the source assembly couples light through the field stop of an off-axis reimaging telescope to provide a reliable test of the following optics and electronics. Non-imaging illumination design principles assure uniform illumination of the sensor focal plane at levels adjustable over a very wide dynamic range.The source assembly can be packaged into a compact, lightweight, and efficient flight unit for convenient installation at an accessible location on the telescope. While the prototype source was specifically designed to match the GIFTS telescope as a representative example of an off-axis re-imaging telescope, the design principles are flexible to allow optimization for any comparable telescope system.
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