Three-axis spacecraft attitude control using polar star sensor
US5107434A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 19, 1990 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01S3/7867
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A three-axis attitude control system for a spacecraft in an equatorial orbit includes at least a horizon sensor for producing pitch-representative signals. A star sensor has a boresight parallel to the spacecraft pitch axis, and produces signals representative of the two-axis location of a selected pole star relative to the boresight. The star sensor signals are processed in conjunction with the pitch-representative signals and with orbit-location information, to produce roll and yaw information. The pitch, roll and yaw information controls spacecraft torquing. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the horizon sensor arrangement also produces roll signals, which are processed with the roll signals from the star sensor.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.