초록 ▼

A method and system for minimizing attitude errors resulting from dynamic spacecraft maneuvers or time-varying mismatched attitude sensor measurements. The method includes time-tagging a primary attitude value from a primary attitude sensor and storing the value and associated time stamp in a buffer

A method and system for minimizing attitude errors resulting from dynamic spacecraft maneuvers or time-varying mismatched attitude sensor measurements. The method includes time-tagging a primary attitude value from a primary attitude sensor and storing the value and associated time stamp in a buffer. A secondary attitude value, generated by a secondary attitude sensor, having a different associated time-stamp is then time-matched to the primary attitude valve. The corrected spacecraft attitude is then calculated as a function of the time-matched primary and secondary attitude values. In one aspect of the invention, the primary attitude sensor generates attitude data at a faster rate than the secondary attitude sensor. This primary attitude data is stored in a buffer such that, when the secondary attitude data becomes available, several nearest-in-time primary attitude data points are retrieved from the buffer. These data points are then used to interpolate a higher time-matched resolution data point. This, in turn, is used along with the secondary attitude data point in updating the spacecraft attitude.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of controlling the attitude of a spacecraft comprising the steps of:generating primary attitude values from a primary attitude sensor, each of said primary attitude values having an associated time stamp;storing said primary attitude values and associated time

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of controlling the attitude of a spacecraft comprising the steps of:generating primary attitude values from a primary attitude sensor, each of said primary attitude values having an associated time stamp;storing said primary attitude values and associated time stamps in a buffer;generating a secondary attitude value from a secondary attitude sensor, said secondary attitude value having an associated time stamp;storing said secondary attitude value and associated time stamp in said buffer;time-matching said secondary attitude value and said primary attitude values;computing corrected spacecraft attitude values as a function of said time-matched primary and secondary attitude values; andupdating the attitude of said spacecraft in a manner directly related to the corrected spacecraft attitude values.