The paper discusses the International Ultraviolet Explorer Mission sequence, spacecraft equipment, and control laws. Flight data from the precision control modes are presented, to illustrate the performance achieved; the subarc second pointing at sources for 60 min periods is accomplished routinely. Two modes of precision control are available: one is of a bright guide star which is in the vicinity of the target source, so that the guidance mode includes a star tracker for position information and a gyro system for rate damping. When a guide star is not available, precision hold is accomplished solely on a well trimmed gyro reference with low frequency updates from a dim source. The three axis maneuvers, the maneuver angle, and the gyro data used are discussed, concluding that these data used in conjunction with star tracker data provide a good source of information for orbital performance evaluation.


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    Title :

    Stabilization and control of the International Ultraviolet Explorer including a summary of flight performance


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    Automatic control in space ; 1979 ; Oxford


    Publication date :

    1980-01-01


    Type of media :

    Miscellaneous


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English