Architecture for processing wide field-of view sun sensor signals for satellite applications
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsCary J. Abul-Haj, Thomas R. Parks
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Abstract
The present invention is embodied in an apparatus for sensing solar position. The apparatus includes a precision wide-field-of-view (WFOV) passive optical sensor head and a set of interface electronics disposed within a spacecraft computer, which is located remotely from the precision WFOV optical sensor head. The interface electronics convert current signals supplied by the precision WFOV optical sensor head into digital signals usable by a spacecraft control processor. The spacecraft control processor uses the digital signals from the interface electronics to precisely determine the attitude of the spacecraft.
Claims4
An apparatus for sensing the position of the sun relative to a spacecraft, said apparatus comprising:
- a wide-field-of-view (WFOV) optical sensor head located in said spacecraft, said WFOV optical sensor having at least one reticle, said WFOV optical sensor receiving an optical position of the sun relative to the spacecraft on at least one photovoltaic cell disposed behind each reticle, said WFOV optical sensor generating a sun position signal;
- a spacecraft computer located in said spacecraft and separate from said WFOV optical sensor, said spacecraft computer including a microprocessor and a power supply;
- a set of interface electronics integrated with said spacecraft computer and powered by said power supply, said set of interface electronics coupled to said WFOV optical sensor through an interface bus and receiving said sun position signal, wherein said set of interface electronics processes said sun position signal for use by said microprocessor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.