Sarnoff Cameras Will Be Part of Satellite-Tracking System

Princeton, NJ (April 25, 2000)—Sarnoff Corporation, the Princeton-based technology development and commercialization company, announced today that it has been awarded a government subcontract to develop a camera that will help the U.S. Air Force track dim objects in space, such as U.S. and foreign satellites.

Working as a subcontractor to TRW on the Deep STARE (Deep Space Surveillance Technology Advancement & Replacement for Ebsicons) project, Sarnoff will draw on its CCD (charge-coupled device) technology to develop a camera with exceptional sensitivity and a 5-megapixel resolution. The finished camera will use a state-of-the-art, large-format backside illuminated CCD, developed and produced at Sarnoff, that will allow more precise tracking of objects of lower visibility than is possible with existing systems. Contract options provide for delivery of up to 10 full camera systems.

"We're very pleased to be part of this project, and we're proud that TRW chose us for our expertise in developing scientific grade cameras," said Robert Andreas, Sarnoff's Director of Business Development for Optoelectronics. "Sarnoff has been a pioneer in commercializing CCDs, and we look forward to applying CCDs into an area that is of growing importance to the government."

The camera development effort is one part of the $5 million Deep STARE project, which was awarded to TRW's Space and Missile Systems division last month. Deep STARE will upgrade the Air Force's Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System (GEODSS), which tracks satellites orbiting at altitudes above 22,000 miles, beyond where most radar can see.

Sarnoff's camera will use a split-frame-transfer architecture with an imaging register format of 2560 (H) x 1960 (V) with 24 µm pixels. The 5 megapixel device will have a total of eight output ports servicing the top and bottom storage registers. The device will feature pixel buried blooming drains, a peak quantum efficiency of >85%, <10 e RMS noise (@ 2 MHz output port clock rate), high vertical transfer speed (employing metal strapping), and 14-bit dynamic range.

When the prototype is successfully completed, the Air Force can exercise options to upgrade and enhance operational sites.

Sarnoff Corporation, 201 Washington Road, CN5300, Princeton, NJ 08543-5300. Tel: 609-734-2000; Fax: 609-734-2040.