A Correction Algorithm of Aberration of Light for Spacecraft Attitude Determination System

Abstract:

There is the long periodicity attitude error between true attitude and measurement attitude using star sensor for spacecraft attitude determination system because of aberration of light. Aberration of light occurs because the spacecraft’s velocity has a component that is perpendicular to the line traveled by the light incoming from the star. The type of aberration is analyzed and their constants of aberration are calculated in this paper. According to the constants the aberration, the correction mathematical models of parallax of aberration of light of these types of aberration are derived. The parallax of aberration of light of the recognized stars in the FOV of star sensor is calculated with the mathematical models. Then the true vectors of recognized stars at image space coordinate system of star sensor are calculated. The measurement attitude of star sensor is calculated with the true vectors of recognized stars and their vectors at celestial sphere coordinate system. The simulations show the long periodicity attitude error is corrected with the method in this paper. At last the correction of aberration of light was successfully demonstrated using two star sensors with real sky experiment in 2011.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 166-169)
• Pages: 3197-3201
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.166-169.3197
• Online since: May 2012
• Authors: Bao Hua Li, Xi Jun Chen, Yang Pang, Bo Qi Xi
• Keywords: Aberration of Light, Attitude Error, Star Sensor

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