Angles-Only, Relative and Inertial 6DOF Estimation for Orbital Navigation
- Paper number
IAC-08.C1.5.9
- Author
Mr. Troy Henderson, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Coauthor
Dr. Thomas Cassaro, StarVision Technologies, United States
- Year
2008
- Abstract
In this paper, we derive a single Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for both relative and inertial 6DOF (i.e., position and velocity) estimation of a target spacecraft. The filter is tested using two novel, space-qualified instruments currently under development at StarVision Technologies: VisNav and StarCam. The VisNav sensor is an optical sensor that provides azimuth, elevation, and range to a target spacecraft at a rate of 100 Hz. StarCam is an innovative ‘stellar gyroscope’ which provides inertial attitude and angular rates of the host spacecraft by imaging the star field at 100 Hz (i.e., no gyroscope is used). The EKF consists of 17 states of interest: inertial position and velocity of the host (6), inertial position and velocity of the target (6), inertial attitude uncertainty (3), and constant azimuth and elevation measurement biases (2). The method for computing relative position and relative attitude of the target with respect to the host and inertial attitude of the target are then derived based on the information provided through the EKF. Simulations are performed in both LEO and GEO orbits. Measurements from the sensors are modelled based on physical testing of prototype units by StarVision Technologies. The basis for the sensor models and testing results are briefly discussed along with potential applications of the technologies.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)