A Fast-Framing, High Resolution Digital Camera. Phase I.

White Sands Missile Range has identified the need for a solid state camera which can be used to replace older film technology in capturing various high-speed airborne projectiles. Older, film based cameras do not allow for real time focus or light level adjustment and impose significant delays in the processing of image data. In addition, the use of Silver Halide films is an environmental hazard which is under increasing pressure to be eliminated. This report involves the design of a solid-state imaging system based on a 2048x2048 CCD. The new camera will be capable of operating at speeds up to 200 frames per second with 10 bit gray scale and electronic shuttering. The camera is accompanied with up to 250 frames of on-board memory and is capable of porting data through high-speed parallel interface to a variety of expanded memory interfaces.