Michael Thomas Rubel

Title: Michael Thomas Rubel and His Spacecraft Imaging Patent.

Introduction

Michael Thomas Rubel is an inventor based in Burbank, California, and is associated with Planet Labs PBC. His patent work addresses spacecraft imaging and position determination.

Latest Patents

Rubel is credited with 1 patent: “Anisotropic Aperture Star Camera Systems and Methods.” The patent describes spacecraft with a primary payload sensor aligned to capture images along a first axis and at least one secondary imaging system aligned along a second axis to help determine the spacecraft’s position. The secondary system includes a housing with an opening, an image sensor inside the housing, and an optical element whose length and width differ, forming an anisotropic aperture.

Career Highlights

Rubel’s listed patent connects his inventive work with spacecraft imaging systems. His association with Planet Labs PBC places this work in the context of a company focused on satellite-based Earth observation.

Collaborations

The available information identifies Planet Labs PBC as Rubel’s company affiliation. It does not specify particular co-inventors or other collaborators for the patent.

Conclusion

Michael Thomas Rubel’s patent describes an approach to spacecraft position determination that uses a secondary imaging system with an anisotropic optical element alongside a primary payload sensor.