They have passed 65 years since USA He put the first spy satellite in orbit, Discover 14which managed to take intelligence images of the Soviet Union. This was followed by others in spy satellite technology in later decades, such as The passage of the photographic film to the digital support and the incorporation of radar and infrared technologies. And now, according to South China Morning Post, we have the one that could suppose another huge leap in the technology used by these satellites. China scientists have developed a new laser technology capable of capturing images of Ultra high resolution At great distances. So detailed, that it could allow Beijing to observe foreign military satellites with an unprecedented detail and even identify human faces from the low terrestrial orbit.
A team from the Institute of Aerospace Information Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has proven to be able to achieve a resolution at the millimeter level From 100 km distancesas detailed in a new study published in the magazine reviewed by peers Chinese Journal of Lasers.
The team conducted its tests in the Qinghai lakein northwestern China. Using an advance Synthetic Opening Lidar System -A laser-based image technology with a wide field of vision-, the researchers achieved exceptional clarity in their images, according to SCMP. From the northern shore of the Lake, the largest in China with a maximum width of 80 km, the device pointed to a series of reflective prisms located at 101.8 km of distance. The test benefited from optimal atmospheric conditions, with clear skies, minimal cloudiness and stable wind.
The system detected details as small as 1.7 mm and measured distances with a precision of 15.6 mm. This yield is 100 times higher than that of spy and current spy cameras that depend on traditional lenses.
To achieve this, the scientists had to divide the laser beam through a 4 × 4 microlent matrix and expanded the system optical opening From 17.2 mm to 68.8 mm, exceeding the usual compensation between opening and field of vision size.
They also used a Specialized laser module to send signals with frequencies greater than 10 gigahecks. This provided a fine range resolution, allowing precise measurements of the distance. At the same time, it remained A narrow color spectrum to improve azimutal resolution -The capacity of an image system to distinguish details in the horizontal direction.
This system is a significant advance in the images taken long distance. Directed by Fan ZhongweiDirector of the Institute’s Laser Engineering Center, the team took advantage of its coherent optics experience, matrix photonics and signal processing to improve technology, according to the medium.
‘This is not just about seeing a satellite, but to read their serial numbers‘, said an image scientist at SCMP. ‘To these resolutions, it could be detected Micrometeoritos damage to solar panels or identify specific useful loads of sensors‘, he added.
The laser of 103 watts It is significantly more powerful than standard LIDAR systems and has real -time digital processing support to handle large volumes of data. Unlike synthetic opening radar based on traditional microwave, this system operates in optical wavelengthsproducing much more clear images.
Despite this achievement, this new technology still has challenges to overcome before it can be applied in surveillance, spatial observation or military intelligence. The quality of the laser image depends largely on the weather conditions, and the monitoring of moving objectives at such long distances will require extreme mechanical precision.