Sun sensor
US5914483A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jun 22, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J2001/4266
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A sun sensor for use in orbiting satellites provides accurate attitude control yet eliminates the use of complicated optical components. The improved accuracy results from adjustment of the relative positions of a slit or pinhole aperture and a cooperating linear array of photodetector elements to increase the operating range of the sun sensor. Enhanced accuracy is further achieved by the use of a relatively wide slit instead of complicated optical components, in conjunction with a processing procedure which uses the finite angular subtense of the sun to increase the accuracy of the attitude control of the satellite by the sun sensor. A further embodiment of the invention includes a sun sensor device having dual "pinhole" apertures which is particularly useful for attitude control of a spinning satellite.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.