Autonomous attitude acquisition for a stellar inertial attitude determination system
US6108594A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 29, 1998 |
| Grant date | Aug 22, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 29, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/369
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus for autonomous acquisition of attitude in a stellar inertial spacecraft attitude system is disclosed. The present invention uses star trackers, an on-board star catalog, spacecraft steering and inertial sensors to determine spacecraft attitude. The present invention utilizes pattern match and pattern rejection methods and uses multiple stellar snap-shots in conjunction with spacecraft steering and spacecraft inertial measurements to acquire spacecraft attitude. Spacecraft inertial measurements are used to connect multiple stellar snap-shots to provide adequate star information that can be used to acquire spacecraft attitude. In an attitude determination system using star trackers, the star trackers may have a narrow field-of-view or few stars may be available for viewing. The present invention uses pattern matching and pattern rejection on different sets of stars, thereby allowing attitude acquisition when the number of stars in view is small.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.