The sun sensor used in the 3-axis control of a spacecraft is modeled, and its effects on sun acquisition performance are demonstrated. The sensor is made up of the combined outputs of four discrete solar cells electrically connected in a manner to achieve the control error signals. To protect these cells from interfering reflections from the spacecraft body, a shade surrounding each cell is added. The shades produce significant variations in sensor outputs from the unshaded outputs. Acquisition control stability is influenced by the introduction of the shade. A set theoretic approach is used to obtain a model of the shaded sensor output. This model is incorporated in a rigid body spacecraft simulation, and sun acquisition performance is presented.
Shaded Sun Sensor Modeling for Spacecraft Acquisition Performance Analysis
1974
25 pages
Report
No indication
English