A large-format imaging sensor with multi-mega pixels forming the Focal Plane Array (FPA), made for smart phones and digital cameras, such as the FPA with 30,000x5,000 (150 mega) pixels made by Gpixel.
Target detection from a 35k km orbit is shown below using step staring of a single 150-mega FPA to cover the whole earth to achieve a linear resolution (or Instantaneous Field of View -IFOV,) of less than 1 km –suitable for search of distressed ships, aircraft and other targets at sea.
The figure of merit for assessing this sensor performance is the NEP (Noise Equivalent Power – the target's emitted power in watt). This analysis shown in the figure below depicts that aircraft bodies can be easily detected with optics no larger than 5 cm in diameter and a detectivity D* no higher than 1010 cm-Hz1/2/W, which is readily available in the Si photodiodes of the 150-mega sensor.
