Real-time refinement method of spacecraft star tracker alignment estimates
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsDavid Needelman, Rongsheng Li, Yeong-Wei Wu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of estimating the alignment of a star sensor (20) for a vehicle (12) includes generating star tracker data. A vehicle attitude and a star sensor attitude are determined in response to the star tracker data. A current alignment sample is generated in response to the vehicle attitude and the star sensor attitude. A current refined estimate alignment signal is generated in response to the current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal via a vehicle on-board filter (38).
Claims40
A method of estimating the alignment of at least one star sensor for a vehicle comprising:
- generating star tracker data;
- determining vehicle attitude in response to said star tracker data;
- determining star sensor attitude of the at least one star sensor in response to star tracker data;
- generating at least one current alignment sample of the at least one star sensor in response to said vehicle attitude and said star sensor attitude;
- and
- generating a current refined estimate alignment signal in response to said at least one current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal via a vehicle onboard filter.
A method of calibrating the alignment of at least one star sensor for a vehicle comprising:
- generating star track signals;
- determining vehicle attitude in response to said star track signals;
- determining star sensor attitude of the at least one star sensor in response to star track signals;
- generating at least one current alignment sample of the at least one star sensor in response to said vehicle attitude and said star sensor attitude;
- generating a current refined estimate alignment signal in response to said at least one current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal via a vehicle on-board filter;
- and
- replacing reference alignment values of the at least one star sensor with values in said current refined estimate alignment signal.
A star tracker alignment system comprising:
- at least one star sensor generating at least one star track signal;
- an attitude determination device determining star sensor attitude of said at least one star sensor;
- an alignment estimation device generating at least one current alignment sample in response to said star sensor attitude;
- and
- a vehicle on-board filter generating a current refined estimate alignment signal in response to said at least one current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal.
A star tracker alignment calibration system for a vehicle comprising:
- at least one star sensor generating at least one star track signal;
- an attitude determination device determining star sensor attitude of said at least one star sensor;
- an alignment estimation device generating at least one current alignment sample in response to said star sensor attitude;
- a vehicle on-board filter generating a current refined estimate alignment signal in response to said at least one current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal;
- and
- a controller calibrating alignment of said at least one star sensor in response to said current refined estimate alignment signal.
A spacecraft having a body and comprising:
- at least one star sensor generating at least one star track signal;
- an attitude determination device determining star sensor attitude of said at least one star sensor;
- an alignment estimation device generating at least one current alignment sample relative to the body and in response to said star sensor attitude;
- and
- a vehicle on-board filter generating a current refined estimate alignment signal in response to said at least one current alignment sample and a previously refined estimate alignment signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.