An automatic navigation and aspect sensing system for X-ray astronomy

An automatic navigation and aspect sensing system is being developed for use in trans-Australia and possible globe circling balloon flights by the University of Tasmania stabilised platform for X-ray astronomy. This system comprises an Omega receiver, three axis magnetometer, alt-az. mounted CID camera and an on-board computer. The computer uses the Omega receiver output or other dead reckoning information together with the magnetometer data to calculate the approximate position of selected bright stars. It then drives the camera to each of these positions in turn and determines from the camera output the precise coordinates relative to the platform of each of these stars. From this information it will fix the geographic coordinates of the platform to within a few nautical miles and will determine the true platform azimuth with a precision of approximately 0.1°. These data will be passed to the platform aspect control computer via a serial link.