Brightness-independent start-up routine for star trackers

Initial attitude acquisition by a modern star tracker is investigated here. Criteria for efficient organization of the on-board database are discussed with reference to a brightness-independent initial acquisition algorithm. Star catalog generation preprocessing is described, with emphasis on the identification of minimum star brightness for detection by a sensor based on a charge coupled device (CCD) photodetector. This is a crucial step for proper evaluation of the attainable sky coverage when selecting the stars to be included in the on-board catalog. Test results are also reported, both for reliability and accuracy, even if the former is considered to be the primary target. Probability of erroneous solution is 0.2% in the case of single runs of the procedure, while attitude determination accuracy is in the order of 0.02/spl deg/ in the average for the computation of the inertial pointing of the boresight axis.     

Instantaneous GPS attitude determination

A procedure for instantaneous GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) attitude determination, i.e., a solution for the GPS integrated carrier Doppler wavelength ambiguities using only measurements at a single epoch, is described. Most previous techniques to solve the phase ambiguity problem have required some form of time history processing relying on GPS satellite and/or user motion to provide enough geometry change to eliminate false solutions. The algorithm described assumes three noncollinear antennas and integrated carrier Doppler measurements from four or more satellites. Double-difference processing provides at least three independent observables for the two antenna separation vectors to compute the three attitude Euler angles     

Geometric voting algorithm for star trackers

We present an algorithm for recovering the orientation (attitude) of a satellite-based camera. The algorithm matches stars in an image taken with the camera to stars in a star catalogue. The algorithm is based on a geometric voting scheme in which a pair of stars in the catalogue votes for a pair of stars in the image if the angular distance between the stars of both pairs is similar. As angular distance is a symmetric relationship, each of the two catalogue stars votes for each of the image stars. The identity of each star in the image is set to the identity of the catalogue star that cast the most votes. Once the identity of the stars is determined, the attitude of the camera is computed using a quaternion-based method. We further present a fast tracking algorithm that estimates the attitude for subsequent images after the first algorithm has terminated successfully. Our method runs in comparable speed to state of the art algorithms but is still more robust than them. The system has been implemented and tested on simulated data and on real sky images.     

DOA estimation for attitude determination on communication satellites

In order to determine an appropriate attitude of three-axis stabilized communication satellites, this paper describes a novel attitude determination method using direction of arrival （DOA） estimation of a ground signal source. It differs from optical measurement, magnetic field measurement, inertial measurement, and global positioning system （GPS） attitude determination. The proposed method is characterized by taking the ground signal source as the attitude reference and acquiring attitude information from DOA estimation. Firstly, an attitude measurement equation with DOA estimation is derived in detail. Then, the error of the measurement equation is analyzed. Finally, an attitude determination algorithm is presented using a dynamic model, the attitude measurement equation, and measurement errors. A developing low Earth orbit （LEO） satellite which tests mobile communication technology with smart antennas can be stabilized in three axes by corporately using a magnetometer, reaction wheels, and three-axis magnetorquer rods. Based on the communication satellite, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. The method could be a backup of attitude determination to prevent a system failure on the satellite. Its precision depends on the number of snapshots and the input signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） with DOA estimation.     

Spacecraft spin axis attitude determination

A mathematical formulation of the spacecraft spin axis attitude determination problem in the form of a norm constrained-least-squares minimization problem is provided. The formulation has a mathematically transparent interpretation as a search for the optimal unit vector on the surface of the unit sphere. Two algorithms are developed and compared by simulation. The results show a tradeoff between estimation accuracy and computational requirements. One algorithm is about three times more accurate than the other and is therefore recommended even though it requires about 20% more in computer storage and operations, and about 50% more in central processing unit time     

Interlaced optimal-REQUEST and unscented Kalman filtering for attitude determination

 Aimed at low accuracy of attitude determination because of using low-cost components which may result in non-linearity in integrated attitude determination systems, a novel attitude determination algorithm using vector observations and gyro measurements is presented. The various features of the unscented Kalman filter (UKF) and optimal-REQUEST (quaternion estimator) algorithms are introduced for attitude determination. An interlaced filtering method is presented for the attitude determination of nano-spacecraft by setting the quaternion as the attitude representation, using the UKF and optimal-REQUEST to estimate the gyro drifts and the quaternion, respectively. The optimal-REQUEST and UKF are not isolated from each other. When the optimal-REQUEST algorithm estimates the attitude quaternion, the gyro drifts are estimated by the UKF algorithm synchronously by using the estimated attitude quaternion. Furthermore, the speed of attitude determination is improved by setting the state dimension to three. Experimental results show that the presented method has higher performance in attitude determination compared to the UKF algorithm and the traditional interlaced filtering method and can estimate the gyro drifts quickly.     

基于值域的多约束GNSS单频单历元定姿新算法

多天线增强了全球卫星导航系统（GNSS）单频单历元姿态测量解算模型的强度,但随着天线数量增加,模糊度维数成倍增加,从模糊度域确定搜索空间的计算量将显著增长。基于此,提出了基于值域的多约束多天线GNSS单频单历元姿态测量新算法：该算法将姿态约束融入值域搜索模型,利用姿态约束条件推导搜索步长,通过姿态域三维搜索确定模糊度搜索空间,以基于最优条件姿态解非迭代近似估计的方法固定模糊度。实验结果表明,新算法中模糊度搜索效率较原方法提高约65.8%,固定模糊度效率较标准迭代算法提高约95.3%,且与标准迭代算法性能相当;所提算法能够实现GNSS单频单历元的模糊度固定和载体全姿态测量,具有较高的正确率。     

无陀螺飞行器姿态和角速度确定

通过预测滤波方法研究了利用矢量观测确定无陀螺飞行姿态和角速度的方法。给出的观测滤波法在一定的二次型优化准则下，对飞行器姿态和名义姿态运动模型的等效角速度误差可同时进行实时估计，能够准确跟踪敏感器的测量，有效减小模型误差的影响，数值仿真结果验证了算法的优越性。     

Design of multi-sensor attitude determination systems

The design of inexpensive multi-sensor attitude determination systems is discussed. The systems discussed fuse information from a triad of solid state rate gyros with an aiding system mechanized using GPS or magnetometers and accelerometers. Euler angle and quaternion-based sensor fusion algorithms are developed. Methods for gain scheduling and estimator pole placement are presented. Using simulation and flight test results, it is shown that quaternion-based algorithms simplify gain scheduling and improve transient response.     

Development of GPS-based attitude determination algorithms

This paper describes two Global Positioning System (GPS) based attitude determination algorithms which contain steps of integer ambiguity resolution and attitude computation. The first algorithm extends the ambiguity function method to account for the unique requirement of attitude determination. The second algorithm explores the artificial neural network approach to find the attitude. A test platform is set up for verifying these algorithms.     

On-orbit real-time magnetometer bias determination for micro-satellites without attitude information

Due to the disadvantages such as complex calculation, low accuracy of estimation, and being non real time in present methods, a new real-time algorithm is developed for on-orbit magnetometer bias determination of micro-satellites without attitude knowledge in this paper. This method uses the differential value approach. It avoids the impact of quartic nature and uses the iterative method to satisfy real-time applications. Simulation results indicate that the new real-time algorithm is more accurate compared with other methods, which are also tested by an experiment system using real noise data. With the new real-time algorithm, a magnetometer calibration can be taken on-orbit and will reduce the demand for computing power effectively.     

Coarse attitude determination from Earth albedo measurements

Attitude estimation algorithms for the Thrusted Vector Mission which determine attitude based on Sun sensor and very coarse albedo sensor measurements are presented. On the basis of these measurements, it has been demonstrated by comparison with more accurate gyro-based attitude that it is possible to estimate three-axis attitude with an average error per axis of 11 deg. Most of this error is about the Sun direction. Both deterministic quick-look and optimal estimates are examined     

Rapid Star Tracking Algorithm for Star Sensor

A rapid star tracking algorithm is proposed. In order to speed up the tracking, three techniques includng parallel star centroiding, sorting, and star catalogue partition are designed for three time-consuming portions in tracking algorithms. The parallel star centroiding is implemented with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) which avoid image storage and transmission. Update rate of star sensor is improved. Sorting star coordinates in star image plane, and then matching, which avoid matching between stars with a long distance in image plane. Star catalogue partition divides the celestial sphere into many small partitions. In star mapping, guide stars are searched in the partitions near the direction of star sensor's boresight is not in the whole celestial sphere and therefore reduced the total number of searched guide stars. The software and hardware performance of tracking algorithms are simulated. Tracking robustness and the tracking speed comparison are tested in the software simulation. In hardware tests, the tracking time in every step is obtained.     

Joint sensor registration and track-to-track fusion for distributed trackers

Sensor registration deals with the correction of registration errors and is an inherent problem in all multisensor tracking systems. Traditionally, it is viewed as a least squares or a maximum likelihood problem independent of the fusion problem. We formulate it as a Bayesian estimation problem where sensor registration and track-to-track fusion are treated as joint problems and provide solutions in cases 1) when sensor outputs (i.e., raw data) are available, and 2) when tracker outputs (i.e., tracks) are available. The solution to the latter problem is of particular significance in practical systems as band limited communication links render the transmission of raw data impractical and most of the practical fusion systems have to depend on tracker outputs rather than sensor outputs for fusion. We then show that, under linear Gaussian assumptions, the Bayesian approach leads to a registration solution based on equivalent measurements generated by geographically separated radar trackers. In addition, we show that equivalent measurements are a very effective way of handling sensor registration problem in clutter. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm adequately estimates the biases, and the resulting central-level trucks are free of registration errors.     

双星定位系统定姿的建模与仿真研究

以卫星模拟器为基础,介绍了一种双星定位系统定姿的基本原理,以卫星模拟器作为基准得出对应的三个双差观测方程,并且应用长短基线法和序列优化法求解整周模糊度,仿真结果表明,应用双星定位系统进行定姿是可行的.     

一种快速的星敏感器星跟踪方法研究

阐述了星敏感器中星跟踪方法的重要性,指出了目前国内外星跟踪方法的不足。针对这些不足,提出了一种全新的、快速的星跟踪方法。新的跟踪方法采用现场可编程门阵列(FPGA)实现了实时的星点定位;正是由于这种技术的采用,加快了星点位置信息的获取,摈弃了跟踪窗的跟踪方法,采用简单的匹配识别的跟踪方法;对于新星的识别,由于有初始姿态而采用匹配组的识别方法。最后给出了星跟踪过程的实验结果。     

三轴稳定卫星无陀螺姿态确定算法研究

针对三轴稳定卫星进行了正常飞行模式下无陀螺姿态确定算法研究，采用磁强计、地球敏感器和太阳敏感器组合获得姿态数据，利用四元数法和高斯－马尔可夫过程建立了姿态确定估计器算法模型。通过数学仿真证明，此姿态确定算法能够对星体姿态进行较精确的估计或校正，满足卫星控制精度要求。     

Euler angle dilution of precision in GPS attitude determination

The geometric dilution of precision (GDOP) is a useful parameter that indicates the effectiveness of the GPS satellite geometry on the positional navigation performance. In this work, the concept of the dilution of precision is extended to the attitude navigation solution. A new set of parameters, referred to as the Euler angle dilution of precision (EADOP), is defined. The validity and the usefulness of the new parameters are verified through simulations. Two scenarios involving a stationary platform and a moving platform are investigated. The results show that the EADOP is a good indication of the expected accuracy of the Euler angle estimates     

基于帧间角距匹配的跟踪模式星图识别

为了提高星敏感器的跟踪匹配速率,提高星敏感器姿态更新率,本文提出了一种基于帧间角距匹配的跟踪模式星图识别方法.该方法充分利用上一时刻的角距匹配信息构建了一个实时跟踪星库,并把当前时刻的角距信息在实时跟踪星库中进行匹配识别,识别成功后利用识别时用到的信息对实时跟踪星库进行更新.仿真实验表明,该方法具有匹配时间短、匹配成功率高的优点.     

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