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SATELLITE ATTITUDE SENSOR USING THERMAL IMAGING
SATELLITE ATTITUDE SENSOR USING THERMAL IMAGING
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机译：使用热成像的卫星姿态传感器
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摘要
The present invention provides amethod for distinguishing a boundary ofan object, and the object itself, fromits background. In the methodelectromagnetic radiation is detected fromat least two fields of view substantiallyspanning the boundary of the object andbackground adjacent to the boundaryand superimposed or overlaid as imagesonto a detector (36). The methodincludes correlating spatial transitions inintensity of the overlaid images on thedetector with a boundary of the object.When used for determining the attitudeof a satellite with respect to the earth,the detector is a thermal infrared detector(36) thereby providing a sharp contrastbetween the thermal emission ofthe earth and cold space. The inventionprovides a simple, effective methodand device for determining satellite orientationand/or attitude with respect toa thermal infrared-emitting target body.The sensor includes a segmented limb-lookingmirror (32) to provide multiplefields-of-view within the field-of-regardand superimposing these fields-of-view as images onto a common detector (36).The required resolution can be obtained while providing awide range of operational orbital altitudes. The attitude of the satellite canvary by a large angle from the minimal orientation while stillpermitting an accurate determination of attitude. Multiple channels in amodular form provide redundancy, improved accuracy, and theopportunity of providing more diverse configurations. The utilization ofuncooled microbolometer arrays as imaging detectors removes therequirement for additional cooling equipment thereby providing a low cost,small size and low mass sensor with configurational flexibilityand no moving parts.
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