A low magnification mode of operation of a multiple field of view optical system is based on off-axis reflective afocal assemblies with a common optical exit pupil and having a common mechanical axis of rotation which provides both field of view switching and image de-roll functions. A reflective afocal switching assembly permits variable fields of view while at the same time providing a common axis and mechanism to achieve an optical de-roll of the image. This complex arrangement provides a relatively large change in magnification for an all-reflective optical system than can image over 0.4-12.0 micron spectrum.

A cata-dioptric optical system for high resolution imaging in visible and infrared bands. The system includes a concave primary mirror, a convex secondary mirror, at least one beam splitter, a first folding mirror, a first group of lenses, a second group of lenses, and at least two image planes. The image planes have one or more aggregated sensors, where a first image plane receives rays from the first group of lenses and a second image plane receives rays from the second group of lenses, and at least one image plane is positioned behind the primary mirror and at a radial distance from the optical axis that is no more than the radius of the primary mirror.

A reflective afocal switching assembly permits variable fields of view while at the same time providing a common axis and mechanism to achieve an optical de-roll of the image. This complex arrangement provides a relatively large change in magnification for an all-reflective optical system than can image over 0.4-12.0 micron spectrum.

A bifocal anastigmatic telescope with five aspherical mirrors, comprises: a concave first mirror, a convex second mirror, a concave third mirror and a first detector, which are common to a first and second focal length of the telescope, a first fourth mirror and a first fifth mirror that are associated with the first focal length, and a second fourth mirror and a second fifth mirror that are associated with the second focal length, the first mirror and the second mirror being arranged to form, from an object at infinity, an intermediate image situated between the second mirror and the third mirror, and for each focal length: the fixed positions and forms of the mirrors associated with the focal length being determined from the generalized Korsch equations with 5 mirrors, with the constraint of the first, second and third mirror and of the first focal plane that are common to the two focal lengths, and so as to optimize the image quality in the first focal plane of the telescope in accordance with a predetermined criterion.

An optical system (e.g., a telescope) comprising an optical assembly that reflects and refracts light rays through a single window about an optical path to a detector. A field-of-view bypass assembly comprises a bypass mirror movably coupled with respect to the optical assembly. The bypass mirror is selectively translatable and tiltable between a bypass configuration and a retracted configuration. In the bypass configuration, the bypass mirror is disposed in and interrupts the primary optical path and oriented to define a secondary optical path to the detector. In the retracted configuration, the bypass mirror is both disposed out of the primary optical path and is properly shielded to prevent stray light reflections.

A three-aspherical-mirror anastigmat telescope comprises: means for moving the third mirror linearly along the optical axis of the telescope to make the focal length of the telescope change between a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length, a deformable and controllable mirror, means for changing the optical path between the deformable mirror and the detector, the third mirror having a new conicity determined from an initial conicity, the initial conicity determined from the Korsch equations, the new conicity determined so that the telescope has, in the absence of the deformable mirror and for the minimum and maximum focal lengths, aberrations that are compensable by the deformable mirror, the fixed median position of the deformable mirror and the form of its surface, for the minimum focal length and maximum focal length, respectively, being determined so as to correct the compensable aberrations and to optimize image quality in the focal plane of the telescope according to a preset criterion.

A telescope includes an initial telescope comprising a concave first mirror and a convex second mirror that are configured so that they form, from a light beam coming from infinity, an image called the intermediate image in a focal plane called the intermediate focal plane, the intermediate image having a largest dimension along an X-axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the telescope, a segmenting module comprising a first set of n segmenting mirrors that are placed downstream of the intermediate focal plane and that are configured to divide the intermediate image obtained from the intermediate focal plane into n sub-images, a second set of n refocusing mirrors that are configured to reimage the n sub-images into n images in a focal plane of the telescope, the images being arranged in the focal plane so as to decrease the dimension along X containing the n images, a detecting device placed in the focal plane.

A method to maximize use of the field of view for an imaging system is provided herein. An imaging device can be part of the imaging system and include a detection unit and an alignment unit. The method includes capturing an initial image of an object and then calculating a rotational angle and zoom factor for the object in order to maximize the object's footprint within the field of view. Once the calculations are complete a computer can instruct the detection and alignment units to reconfigure their orientations relative to the object.

A three-aspherical-mirror anastigmat telescope comprises means for moving the third mirror linearly along the optical axis of the telescope so as to make the focal length of the telescope change to a plurality of focal lengths between at least a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length, a plurality of aspherical optical components respectively associated with the plurality of focal lengths, the third mirror having a new conicity determined from an initial conicity, the new conicity being determined so that the telescope has, in the absence of the aspherical components and for the minimum and maximum focal lengths, aberrations that are compensable by the aspherical components, the position and the form of the surface of each aspherical component being determined so as to correct the compensable aberrations of the telescope for the associated focal length and to optimize image quality in the first focal plane of the telescope according to a preset criterion.

An optical system (e.g., a telescope) comprising an optical assembly that reflects and refracts light rays through a single window about an optical path to a detector. A field-of-view switch assembly comprises a mount, having a pair of diverter mirrors, movably coupled to the optical assembly and being selectively movable between a non-bypass position and a bypass position. The diverter mirrors bypass a first field-of-view and translate a second field-of-view (both through the single window) when moved from the non-bypass position to the bypass position to redirect the optical path. The diverter mirrors straddle the optical path in the non-bypass position. A dynamic shutter shields the second diverter mirror and exposes the second diverter mirror when moved between non-bypass and bypass positions. A four-bar linkage mechanism rotates the mount with an on-board motor and a torsional shaft to absorb impact forces. Associated methods are provided for facilitating switching between fields-of-view.