Development of Software Tools for Satellite Observations and Near-Infrared Imaging in Support of the NASA Landolt Mission

Abstract

The brightness of stars can currently only be measured to ≈2.5% uncertainty, limiting astronomers’ understanding of stellar characterization and dark energy parameters. The NASA Landolt mission, planned to launch in 2029, will use calibrated lasers mounted on a satellite in geostationary orbit to improve measurements of the absolute flux of >60 target stars to <0.5% uncertainty at visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. The 32-inch telescope at the George Mason University Observatory will serve as one of the ground stations for the mission and will observe the Landolt satellite to obtain flux data. We developed software to automate satellite observing using the telescope in the three Landolt observing modes: (1) tracking the satellite with the stars streaking; (2) tracking the stars at sidereal rate with the satellite streaking; and (3) tracking at half-sidereal rate with both the satellite and stars streaking to produce identical point-spread functions. The software was tested through observations of INTELSAT-40E, a geosynchronous communications satellite. Additionally, we developed software for imaging using the GMU C-RED2 high-speed low-noise NIR camera and integrated it with the satellite observation software. These tools enable novel satellite tracking methods and C-RED2 camera functionalities for use in the Landolt mission.