Development of a nanoscale directionally sensitive optical radiation sensor for guidance and control of nanorobotic space exploration systems -the VCELL

• Published in: IEEE SoutheastCon 2008 pp. 415 - 420
• Main Authors: Cook, K.B., Watson, M.D.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-04-2008
• Subjects: Artificial satellites; Control systems; Mechanical sensors; Nanotechnology; Optical control; Optical sensors; Prototypes; Sensor systems; Space exploration; Sun
• ISBN: 9781424418831; 1424418836
• ISSN: 1091-0050; 1558-058X
• DOI: 10.1109/SECON.2008.4494330

This paper will report on efforts to develop an enabling nanotechnology compatible directionally sensitive optical radiation sensor (VCELL) prototype. The proposed sensor is a novel silicon optical sensor that is directionally sensitive to incident light without the usual necessity of requiring mechanical assemblies for directing impinging radiation. The VCELL can be integrated into the front end of a single nanochip guidance system for future space exploration systems requiring extremely small size (mass constrained and power constrained) such as small robots, picosatellites and sensor networks, etc. The VCELL will enable a low cost miniature optical sensor for future MSFC Mission Area applications. Among these are a Sun pointer for MARS satellites, landers and rovers and various other scientific spacecraft such as small communications satellites, remote sensing satellites, sun sensors for rovers for daylight directional navigation.