Spherical glass spacecraft BLITS
Satellites of the Blits type are a separate type of retroflectivor spherical systems made of a central ball and two attached outer glass spherical menisci. The menisci and the central lens have significantly different refractive indices in such satellites (a ball having a high refractive index and a meniscus having a low one). That makes it possible to focus the radiation incident on them to one point on the reflecting meniscus (Luneberg lens).
The Blits spacecraft was launched into orbit in 2009 and confirmed the operability of retroflective glass satellites following the Luneberg lens principle.
The world’s first spherical glass spacecraft BLITZ confirmed the possibility of using satellites with a zero signature, which provide a submillimeter target error.
Parameters
- Blitz equivalent scattering surface
- ≥ 105 m²
- Orbital altitude
- 835 km
- Ball lens material
- LK106 glass
- External menisci material
- TF105
- Diameter
- 170 mm
- Weight
- 7,5 kg
- Target error
- 0.1 mm