On-board detection of fast-moving targets using an MWIR sensor on a small satellite

The Medium Wavelength Infrared (MWIR) band is optimal for detecting high-intensity targets, e.g. fires. Infrared target detection and object recognition in the MWIR spectrum pose challenges for small satellites with resource constraints. The SeRANIS experimental satellite mission, under development at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, features an MWIR sensor with a variable Field of View (FoV), but with a limited spatial resolution. This research aims to detect Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) traveling at speeds of approximately up to 7km/s in the upper atmosphere. The 1280*1024-pixel resolution offers a variable footprint ranging from 37km to 465km diagonally, facilitating the detection of intense heat signatures emitted by Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs). Combining the sensor’s spatial resolution, small target size, and high speed increases the complexity of developing detection methods. Additionally, the experimental satellite mission relies solely on a single MWIR band, increasing the complexity of precise target recognition. To address these concerns, this research proposes a three-part method: (a) hot spot detection, (b) computation and application of radiance threshold, and (c) filtering out static hot spots. However, the lack of a dataset for HGV detection poses a significant challenge for developing dedicated techniques. Therefore, this research introduces a strategy to create synthetic datasets, to replicate realistic sensor movement in orbit, inserting stationary targets with a range of radiance, and simulating moving targets with varying trajectories and radiance to validate the proposed methodology.