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.     

星点坐标辅助的全天区三角形星图识别算法

随着当前星敏感器视场（FOV）的增大,探测能力的提高,一帧图中拍摄到的恒星更多。但是受星敏感器光谱范围的限制及空间环境干扰影响,星等测试精度一般不高于0.2 mV。为了充分发挥当前星敏感器视场和探测能力的优势,并避免星等误差的影响,提高全天区星图识别算法在线应用的适用性,提出了一种星点坐标辅助的全天区三角形星图识别算法。该方法采用"全局初步搜索识别—局部精细匹配验证—最优结果选取"的算法思想。首先,根据星敏感器探测到的极限星等范围构建导航星表,选取亮星构建角距星表,既确保了星表的完备性,又有利于充分利用星敏感器的探测能力。然后,在三角形约束条件下进行角距匹配识别,得到一个或多个导航三角形,在该识别环节提出了非线性矢量法查找星表,既提高了定位精度,又能采用单精度数据类型降低存储空间。最后,提出局部天区星点坐标匹配算法进一步消除冗余匹配,同时又识别出视场内更多的观测星,有利于提高识别率和定姿精度。试验结果表明,与其他一些经典的星图识别算法相比,所提算法在识别率和星表容量方面更有优势。识别率可达99.9%,且随着星等的增加,存储容量增加的最少。所提算法更加适于大视场、高星等敏感范围的星敏感器在线应用。     

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.     

近地空间全天时星敏感器技术现状及发展综述

星敏感器是一种以恒星为参考源的姿态测量设备,在卫星、导弹、舰船等平台得到广泛应用。对于需在大气层内全天时工作的近地空间平台,如舰船、飞机、导弹、高空气球等,星敏感器面临白天强烈天空背景条件下探测暗弱恒星目标的难题。首先介绍了近地空间全天时星敏感器的基本工作原理;其次介绍了国内外研究现状;然后分析并总结了全天时星敏感器实现的主要技术途径;最后梳理出下一步研究方向。分析结果可为近地空间全天时星敏感器系统的研制提供参考和帮助。     

一种基于星座匹配的全天自主星图识别算法

讨论了一种新的无须任何先验知识的星图识别算法。通过对导航星座数据库进行调整和最大限度地利用了已识别基元所提供的匹配信息,使得算法的计算量和存储容量与传统的三角形匹配算法相当。ＭｏｎｔｅＣａｒｌｏ 模拟表明,在星等误差０．５ 星等（３σ）,位置误差１０ 角秒（１σ） 时,算法的识别成功率接近１００％ 。     

Accuracy performance of star trackers - a tutorial

An autonomous star tracker is an avionics instrument used to provide the absolute 3-axis attitude of a spacecraft utilizing star observations. It consists of an electronic camera and associated processing electronics. The processor has the capability to perform star identification utilizing an internal star catalog stored in firmware and to calculate the attitude quaternion autonomously. Relevant parameters and characteristics of an autonomous star tracker are discussed in detail     

An all-sky autonomous star map identification algorithm

The attitude of the spacecraft can be obtained with accuracy by using star sensors. Its key technology is how to identify stellar maps. Triangle algorithm is used most widely in the current star map identification algorithms. In the field of physical geography modelling, Delaunay triangulation cutting algorithm has been widely used because of its important characteristic; the result of this triangulation cutting method is unique from a random set of points. This triangulation algorithm is first applied to identify star map for its particular character. In final, the proposed method is applied to simulation; the results show that compared with the current star map identification algorithms, the algorithm presented in this paper has the advantage of real-time properties and robustness. It needs a smaller database of guidance stars and matches more rapidly.     

基于QTM的导航星库划分方法

为了提高星敏感器观测星的检索速度,提出了一种基于球面四元三角网(Quaternary Triangular Mesh,QTM)的导航星库划分方法.该方法首先利用天球的内接正八面体把全天球划分成8个子天区,然后在每个子天区中进行与经纬度相关的剖分和编码,最后扫描恒星星表,把每颗导航星信息划归到相应的子天区内存储.利用此星库进行的局部天球星图识别仿真实验表明该星库具有很高的检索效率.     

寡星条件下的半球谐振陀螺与星敏感器 组合姿态测量算法

针对半球谐振陀螺与星敏感器松组合系统在寡星条件下无法正常工作的问题,采用新的星图识别算法和新的数据融合观测方程,使星敏感器在观测到的导航星数量为1或2颗的情况下完成星图识别,从而能够完成组合测姿。     

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.     

亮星辅助下基于坐标转换的快速星图识别方法

数字天顶仪作为一种地面使用的星敏感器，主要用于高精度定位。为提高仪器的工作效率需要对星图识别的快速性进行研究。通过对恒星像点理论坐标与图像坐标的分析，构建坐标转换模型。依据星表中恒星的分布及星等筛选出视场范围内的亮星，并构建导航星表。结合导航星表完成3颗亮星的准确识别，在识别亮星的基础上解算坐标转换模型的参数。通过构建的坐标转换模型对视场范围内的恒星进行坐标转换，将转换后的星点坐标与提取的星点图像坐标进行匹配完成星图的识别，这样能够提高星图识别的快速性。实验数据表明：在保证识别星点数量的基础上，采用亮星辅助下基于坐标转换的星图识别方法使时间缩短为改进三角形星图识别算法的五分之一。     

Star recognition algorithm for APS star tracker: oriented triangles

An efficient star pattern recognition algorithm is presented. The purpose of this algorithm is to make sure of the compatibility of the software and the imaging sensor noise level. The new CMOS APS sensors have not currently reached the same accuracy as the former CCD sensors in position as well as in magnitude determination, especially in the dynamic stages. This algorithm allows the system to recognize the star pattern 20% faster than with reference algorithms. No false recognition has been noticed. Used databases have a size 5 to 10 times smaller, depending on other reference algorithms. Oriented triangles are used to compare the measured star pattern with the catalogue stars. The triangle's characterization criteria propose several solutions in a first time. A unique solution is selected by means of identification and validation methods in a second time. First results, presented hereinafter, are very encouraging, and this algorithm may be used in the future APS star trackers. APS star tracker robustness is significantly enhanced by this method during the critical navigation phases     

基于星敏感器的卫星姿态估计方法研究

以星敏感器姿态信息作为测量数据,结合卫星姿态动力学方程组,采用增广卡尔曼滤波方法对无陀螺卫星姿态进行估计。研究发现,干扰力矩的变化会降低卫星姿态估计结果的精度,为此提出两种改进的姿态估计算法:增广自适应卡尔曼滤波方法和增广强跟踪卡尔曼滤波方法;仿真表明,两种算法都能很好地克服干扰力矩变化导致的精度下降现象。     

Star trackers for attitude determination

One problem comes to all spacecrafts using vector information. That is the problem of determining the attitude. This paper describes how the area of attitude determination instruments has evolved from simple pointing devices into the latest technology, which determines the attitude by utilizing a CCD camera and a powerful microcomputer. The instruments are called star trackers and they are capable of determining the attitude with an accuracy better than 1 arcsecond. The concept of the star tracker is explained. The obtainable accuracy is calculated, the numbers of stars to be included in the star catalogue are discussed and the acquisition of the initial attitude is explained. Finally the commercial market for star trackers is discussed     

EXOSAT observations of active stellar coronae in the Cygnus Loop,T Tau & NGC 2264 regions

A highly variable point X-ray source, first seen by the Einstein IPC, has been positioned with the EXOSAT CMA and identified with a bright (V = 8.5) K0 star. Although in the direction of the southern half of the Cygnus Loop, this star is almost certainly a foreground object and typical of other active cool stars that are related to RS CVn systems.An EXOSAT program to study T Tauri stars failed to detect T Tau itself. However, a strong X-ray source was observed 15 from T Tau, which in its turn had not been seen by Einstein. This new source has been identified with a hitherto unstudied 13 mag star which is likely to be a dMe flare star.The young star cluster NGC 2264 was observed with the EXOSAT CMA in an attempt to identify the sources found during an Einstein IPC study of S Mon. Apart from S Mon itself, only UV-bright objects were seen, but several of these are considered likely counterparts of the Einstein sources.     

一种全天时星跟踪器相对惯导的安装阵在线快速估计方法

全天时星跟踪器与捷联惯导组成的惯性/天文组合导航系统具有精度高、自主性强等优点,在飞机、无人机、船舶等领域具有广泛的应用前景。组合导航系统长时间工作中力热变化导致安装矩阵漂移进而影响导航系统精度,全天时星跟踪器由于天空光影响视场小,一次只能观测一颗恒星,无法根据一副星图直接进行安装阵估计。提出了一种基于Levenberg-Marquart （L-M）算法的捷联惯性/天文组合导航系统安装阵在线快速高精度估计方法,利用捷联惯导姿态测量值,将不同时刻的观测星矢量转移到同一时刻同一坐标系中,构造多颗观测星的观测矢量误差与导航星矢量最小二乘目标函数,利用自适应步长的L-M算法对其进行迭代求解,实时得到系统安装矩阵的变化量。试验结果表明,使用该方法后星跟踪器在捷联惯导本体坐标系的输出恒星投影矢量精度提升了1倍以上,在线估计时间优于5 ms,满足用户实时性和高精度要求。     

一种结合角距特征的改进栅格星图识别算法

针对栅格算法易受邻域星点影响导致误匹配的问题,提出了一种结合角距特征的改进栅格星图识别算法。首先介绍了改进栅格算法的原理,其次设计了融合栅格识别模式和星角距识别模式的算法实现流程,最后开展了基于不同视角下的大视场仿真星图的算法试验验证和性能分析。结果表明,由于角距特征具有旋转不变性和不易受观测星邻域星点分布影响等特点,结合角距特征对失效观测星进行再匹配的改进栅格算法,在兼顾存储量需求小、运行速度快等优势的同时,识别率和鲁棒性也得到了提升,最高识别率可达98.88%,在位置噪声干扰以及缺失星干扰下,改进算法的识别率仍可保持在95%,说明算法鲁棒性强,具有较好的应用前景。     

星敏感器在轨光行差修正方法研究

星敏感器作为目前航天器中最重要的姿态测量敏感器,其精度直接影响航天器姿态测量精度,因此对其误差源进行分析和修正则尤为重要。提出了一种星敏感器在轨光行差修正方法,根据光行差产生的原理和特点,将星敏感器沿探测器X和Y方向产生的光行差误差角巧妙地转换为光行差误差四元数,并直接对输出四元数进行修正,从而为修正星敏感器光行差提供了一种方便简洁的方法。     

一种通过观测两颗恒星确定飞行器姿态的算法

本文介绍了通过固联安装在飞行器本体上的星跟踪器观测两颗恒星,确定飞行器姿态的一种算法,建立了相应的坐标系,推导了恒星观测角与描述飞行器姿态的四元数之间的关系。     

Star identification algorithms: novel approach & comparison study

A novel approach to the problem of star identification for spacecraft attitude determination based on data provided by a star camera is proposed. The algorithm is based on pattern matching ideas and provides improved reliability with respect to similar methods available in the literature. The achievable performance is demonstrated via a comparison study with two published algorithms