Area Coverage Path Planning Using Divided Grid-Graphs

Planning area coverage observations is a challenge in an architecture with a framing imager affixed to a bus that can be moved, and a mirror or other device that allows for small, but fast, observation of adjacent areas along the boresight of a telescope. The telescope boresight can slew slowly while the mirror system maintains pointing on a specific field of view. This allows the continuous gathering of data (much like push - broom instruments) without the need to slew or settle. Since the telescope field of view is much larger than the imager field of view, the areas to be imaged can be divided into quarters.