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Microsatellite attitude determination based on skylight polarization and geomagnetic measurement

  • Northwestern Polytechnical University Xian
  • Shanghai Engineering Center for Microsatellites

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new attitude determination method based on skylight polarization sensors and magnetometers is proposed for microsatellites in the low earth orbits. First, a two-channel polarization sensor is developed to measure skylight polarization and obtain the solar direction information. Second, the measurement model of the polarization sensor and three-axis magnetometer are derived. Finally, with the satellite attitude equation as the state equation, an extended Kalman filter is developed to estimate the satellite attitude. Simulation results manifested the feasibility of using polarization sensors and magnetometers to determine the attitude information of low earth orbit microsatellite.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1177-1184
Number of pages8
JournalOptik
Volume178
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2019

Keywords

  • Attitude determination
  • Polarization pattern
  • Polarization sensor
  • Satellite
  • Three-axis magnetometer

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