Space optical imaging is a pivotal method for information acquisition, offering significant potential across various domains, including space exploration, astronomical observation, and aerospace applications. Space cameras are characterized by their high light-gathering capacity and detection sensitivity. Furthermore, the design of these cameras often involves increasing the aperture and field of view to expand the observation range and enhance the acquisition of detailed information regarding celestial targets. However, this expansion renders space cameras more susceptible to interference from both natural and artificial light sources. Such interference can adversely affect imaging capabilities, leading to issues such as signal disruption, limitations in dynamic range, spectral interference, and degradation of image quality. In severe cases, it may result in image saturation, thereby compromising the safety and operational lifespan of the camera. Consequently, it is evident that an effective glare protection system is essential for ensuring the optimal operational performance of space cameras.Through the study of previous imaging optical strong light protection systems, the existing active and passive protection measures are enumerated. The relationship between the glare characteristics of CMOS cameras and the energy distribution at the camera entrance pupil under different optical parameters is analyzed. A primary active-passive protection system is established by selecting sensor-controlled mechanical shutters and notch filters. In terms of active protection, based on the logarithmic linear correlation between the saturated area of the pixel and the saturated area of the incident light intensity, system parameters are introduced to derive the saturation threshold for detector interference in optical cameras. Subsequently, a logical circuit design is implemented for the sensor to provide protection according to the analyzed saturation threshold results. For passive protection, a 632.8 nm notch filter is chosen to shield against strong light in a specific wavelength band. Ultimately, a primary and passive protection system is designed, characterized by a high protection threshold, short response time, and strong protective capability.This study designs an active-passive protection system tailored for a fixed-focus optical lens with an F-number of 1.4 and constructs a desktop experimental system to validate the effectiveness of this method. In the context of active protection, Figure 8 illustrates the imaging results and grayscale distribution of the camera under 20 mW laser illumination, during which the detector's saturated area reached 106 μm, accounting for one-third of the total detector area. When the incident laser power was increased to 40 mW, the imaging results and grayscale distribution shown in Fig.9 indicate that the entire detector was nearly fully saturated under this laser power density, resulting in a complete loss of the camera's imaging capability due to the intense light source. A logic circuit was designed to control the mechanical shutter, allowing it to close within 10 ms when the light voltage exceeds a threshold, as illustrated in Fig.10. For passive protection, Figure 11 presents the imaging and detector gray scale distribution of the optical camera with filters under 20 mW laser irradiation. The internal scattering effects and ghost images caused by strong light are significantly reduced, with the detector's saturation range being only 1/100 of that without notch filters. When the laser output power is adjusted to 50 mW, Figure 12 shows that although the scattering effects become more pronounced with increasing laser power density, the camera is still able to capture clear images of the target, and the saturation area of the detector remains substantially smaller than without the notch filter. Figure 11 and 12 visually demonstrate the effectiveness of the passive protection measures, particularly the installation of the notch filter. The final design of the active-passive protection system effectively safeguards the camera in the visible light spectrum, ensuring stability under strong light disturbances while maintaining the imaging quality of the space camera.Based on the high sensitivity characteristics of spaceborne optical cameras, this study analyzes the glare characteristics of camera detectors under various optical parameters and designs an active-passive protection system utilizing mechanical shutters and notch filters to counter strong light interference. This system exhibits reliable protective capabilities in the visible light spectrum. The active protection mechanism is capable of rapid response when the camera's saturated area reaches one-third of the total area, with a response time of approximately 10 ms, effectively ensuring the camera's safety under strong light interference. In the case of 632.8 nm helium-neon laser interference, the system reduces the detector's saturated area to one-hundredth of its original size, significantly enhancing the camera's operational efficiency. The system has been optimized based on technological maturity and engineering application experience, and its effectiveness has been validated through a desktop experimental setup.