Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation
The preliminary design and validation of a novel, high accuracy horizon-sensor for small satellites is presented, which is based on the theory of attitude determination from ellipsoid observations. The concept consists of a multi-head infrared sensor capturing images of the Earth limb. By fitting an...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/2/433 |
| _version_ | 1818035400130691072 |
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| author | Dario Modenini Alfredo Locarini Marco Zannoni |
| author_facet | Dario Modenini Alfredo Locarini Marco Zannoni |
| author_sort | Dario Modenini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The preliminary design and validation of a novel, high accuracy horizon-sensor for small satellites is presented, which is based on the theory of attitude determination from ellipsoid observations. The concept consists of a multi-head infrared sensor capturing images of the Earth limb. By fitting an ellipse to the imaged limb arcs, and exploiting some analytical results available from projective geometry, a closed form solution for computing the attitude matrix is provided. The algorithm is developed in a dimensionless framework, requiring the knowledge of the shape of the imaged target, but not of its size. As a result, the solution is less sensitive to the limb shift caused by the atmospheric own radiance. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, a numerical simulator is developed, which generates images captured in low Earth orbit, including also the presence of the atmosphere. In addition, experimental validation is provided due to a dedicated testbed, making use of a miniature infrared camera. Results show that our sensor concept returns rms errors of few hundredths of a degree or less in determining the local nadir direction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:54:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-de0300999d224dd98046ea531daf617f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T06:54:27Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-de0300999d224dd98046ea531daf617f2022-12-22T01:58:28ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202020-01-0120243310.3390/s20020433s20020433Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental ValidationDario Modenini0Alfredo Locarini1Marco Zannoni2Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, 47121 Forlì, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, 47121 Forlì, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, 47121 Forlì, ItalyThe preliminary design and validation of a novel, high accuracy horizon-sensor for small satellites is presented, which is based on the theory of attitude determination from ellipsoid observations. The concept consists of a multi-head infrared sensor capturing images of the Earth limb. By fitting an ellipse to the imaged limb arcs, and exploiting some analytical results available from projective geometry, a closed form solution for computing the attitude matrix is provided. The algorithm is developed in a dimensionless framework, requiring the knowledge of the shape of the imaged target, but not of its size. As a result, the solution is less sensitive to the limb shift caused by the atmospheric own radiance. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, a numerical simulator is developed, which generates images captured in low Earth orbit, including also the presence of the atmosphere. In addition, experimental validation is provided due to a dedicated testbed, making use of a miniature infrared camera. Results show that our sensor concept returns rms errors of few hundredths of a degree or less in determining the local nadir direction.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/2/433attitude determinationhorizon sensorellipsoid |
| spellingShingle | Dario Modenini Alfredo Locarini Marco Zannoni Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation Sensors attitude determination horizon sensor ellipsoid |
| title | Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation |
| title_full | Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation |
| title_fullStr | Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation |
| title_short | Attitude Sensor from Ellipsoid Observations: A Numerical and Experimental Validation |
| title_sort | attitude sensor from ellipsoid observations a numerical and experimental validation |
| topic | attitude determination horizon sensor ellipsoid |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/2/433 |
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