An algorithm to conduct spacecraft position estimation and attitude determination via terrestrial illumination matching (TIM) is presented consisting of a novel method that uses terrestrial lights as a surrogate for star fields. Although star sensors represent a highly accurate means of attitude determination with considerable spaceflight heritage, with Global PositioningSystem (GPS) providing position, TIM provides a potentially viable alternative in the event of star sensor or GPS malfunction or performance degradation. The research defines a catalog of terrestrial light constellations, which are thenimplemented within the TIM algorithm for position acquisition of a generic spacecraft bus.
Spacecraft Position Estimation and Attitude Determination using Terrestrial Illumination Matching
2020
98 pages
Report
No indication
English
Navigation Systems , Unmanned Spacecraft , Detectors , Image processing , Image recognition , Meteorological satellites , Visible spectra , Astronautics , Measurement , Navigation , Artificial satellites , Global positioning systems , Position finding , Spacecraft , Algorithms , Terrestrial illumination matching , Terrestrial lights , Position estimation , Attitude determination , Satellite navigation , Spacecraft navigation
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