Artificial satellite and method of controlling the same

An artificial satellite comprising:

• a main body flying along an orbit of a planet;
• a pair of solar cell panels rotatably arranged on both sides of the main body in a first direction;
• and
• a linear image sensor arranged on the main body and comprising pixels arranged in a line in a second direction forming an acute angle with the first direction.

A method of controlling an artificial satellite comprising a main body flying along an orbit of a planet, an optical payload mounted on the main body to photograph a ground surface of the planet in a line scan manner, and a pair of solar cell panels rotatably arranged on both sides of the main body in a first direction, wherein the first direction and a second direction perpendicular to a flight direction of the main body are designed to form an angle ψ of between about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees with each other, the method comprising:

• determining a beta angle β between a star direction ux and an orbital plane of the orbit where the artificial satellite is currently flying;
• determining a latitude φ of the planet where the artificial satellite is currently located;
• calculating a rotation angle θ of the pair of solar cell panels based on the beta angle β, the latitude φ, and the angle ψ;
• and
• rotating the pair of solar cell panels by the rotation angle θ with respect to the main body.