A low cost, high precision star sensor

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Sunsat microsatellite is being developed at the University of Stellenbosch. It isequipped with a high resolution earth imager which requires a sophisticated attitudedetermination and control system. Precise control of the satellite is impossible withouthigh precision attitude sensors. The most accurate attitude sensor presently used bysatellites is the star sensor.The aim 'of this thesis is to develop a low cost, high precision star sensor for theSunsat microsatellite. The development included the selection of electronic andoptical hardware followed by the design, construction and testing of the sensor.Software algorithms were developed and programmed to control the imager, extractstars from images and match the observed constellations to a star catalogue. A set ofmatching observed and reference vectors are passed to the attitude determination andcontrol system which calculates the three axis orientation of the satellite.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University