flight tests of the microsatellite magnetic navigation system and prospects of future magnetometers
- Paper number
IAC-08.C1.8.7
- Author
Mr. Serhiy Belyayev, Lviv Centre of Institute of Space Research, Ukraine
- Coauthor
Prof. Valerii Korepanov, Lviv Centre of Institute of Space Research, Ukraine
- Year
2008
- Abstract
Modern spacecrafts use different onboard systems for navigation, based mostly on the combination of optic, magnetic and gravitational principles. It is postulated in the given work that at present level of electronic technology and computer systems acceptable quality of navigation may be obtained using only one high-quality measuring device – flux-gate magnetometer. The description of recent model of onboard flux-gate magnetometers and its sensors is given. The magnetometer first model was used in the experiment with microsatellite “Micron”, launched as piggyback load together with “Sich-1M” satellite December 24, 2004. In spite of very short operation term of the microsatellite, the obtained experimental data confirm both the efficiency of the use of new navigation methodology and high quality of the developed magnetometer. The improved model of the magnetometer is using onboard “EgyptSat-1” satellite, which has been flying since April 17, 2007. The obtained results of both navigation system tests and optical payload operation are the best evidences of magnetic navigation system efficiency and high level of parameters of the instruments. A novel design of a future improved flux-gate is described. The combination of a number of new techniques results in significant miniaturization the sensor with simultaneous improvement of parameters. The design uses a sensor with volume compensation, combining flux-gate sensitive components in a Macor cube with the side dimension of 20 mm. Use of volume compensation provides high geometrical stability of the axes and improved performance compared to component compensated sensors. A calibration of the sensor has shown high linearity, good orthogonality, and very good temperature stability of the axes.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)