Star and sun sensor for attitude and position control
US4618259A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 1985 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S3/786
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A combined sun and star sensing system for attitude and position control of a space vehicle, includes a star image sensor having a first objective and a first detector array arranged in the focal plane, the objective being constructed for a well defined aberration so as to convert a point like object into a defined spot or area having a diameter larger than the diameter of an element of the detector array; the sun sensor has a regular objective and a second detector array is arranged in the image plane of that objective sun sensor; the two detector arrays have similar and a similar number of detector elements, and are alternately connected to a single evaluating electronic.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.