Research on Thermal Refocusing System of High-resolution Space Camera Current Optics and Photonics

A high-resolution camera is a precise optical system. Its vibrations during transportation and launch, together with changes in temperature and gravity field in orbit, lead to different degrees of defocus of the camera. Thermal refocusing is one of the solutions to the problems related to in-orbit defocusing, but there are few relevant thermal refocusing mathematical models for systematic analysis and research. Therefore, to further research thermal refocusing systems by using the development of a high-resolution micro-nano satellite (CX6-02) super-resolution camera as an example, we established a thermal refocusing mathematical model based on the thermal elasticity theory on the basis of the secondary mirror position. The detailed design of the thermal refocusing system was carried out under the guidance of the mathematical model. Through optical–mechanical–thermal integration analysis and Zernike polynomial calculation, we found that the data error obtained was about 1%, and deformation in the secondary mirror surface conformed to the optical index, indicating the accuracy and reliability of the thermal refocusing mathematical model. In the final ground test, the thermal vacuum experimental verification data and in-orbit imaging results showed that the thermal refocusing system is consistent with the experimental data, and the performance is stable, which provides theoretical and technical support for the future development of a thermal refocusing space camera.