Study of Spacecraft Attitude Reconstitution Using the ESA Starmapper

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Study of Spacecraft Attitude Reconstitution Using the ESA Starmapper

P. T. L. M. Vanwoerkom / C. R. Traas / A. L. Bleekrode / F. J. Sonnenschein / H. Bokhove

A mathematical model of the rotational dynamics of a rigid, spinning spacecraft is formulated with asymmetry and external torques. A mathematical model of the ESA starmapper is developed with optical-electronic and telemetry effects. A linear, recursive filter for the estimation of spacecraft attitude motion and system parameters is formulated with divergence detection and adaptation. A number of system parameters cannot yet be estimated accurately. Treating these as consider parameters improves the estimation of the spacecraft attitude motion. For small nutation angles, an estimation accuracy of about one arcminute can be achieved. For large nutation angles and large initial attitude errors the estimation process will, in general, diverge due to nonlinearity of the measurement equation. Divergence can be delayed or reduced if measurement noise is increased. A number of improvements related to the starmapper model, filter, and range of applications is suggested.