Tracking algorithm for space-based infrared satellites in LEO based on Sigma-point Kalman filters

The general detection means has difficulty in tracking the near space hypersonic target because the near space hypersonic target flies at a very high speed. Space-based infrared low earth orbit satellites system was used to track and an appropriate target motion model and observation model were established too. Analysis of the sigma-point Kalman filter (SPKF) algorithm was made, and the algorithm had a higher estimation accuracy compared with EKF for estimation of nonlinear systems. It did not require to solve complex Jacobin matrix or Hessian matrix, neither. Interacting multiple models algorithm based on sigma points Kalman filter (SPKF-IMM) was advanced for space-based infrared low-orbit satellites to track the near space hypersonic target. Three dimensional maneuvering targets were selected for the simulation of the algorithm. Simulation results show that the algorithm has a better tracking performance than the EKF-IMM algorithm and it further demonstrates that SPKF-IMM algorithm is effective.