Abstract
In recent years, small satellites, which are more and more popular and affordable, have been already widely applied in observation and monitoring missions. However, it is a tough problem to meet the different mission requirements with such limits as space, energy, and devices. In this paper, we propose a practical target searching scheme for a small satellite which suffers from the device limits during the first 7.5 seconds after the launch separation. Due to the device limits at the beginning of the separation, the initial attitude of the satellite and the position of the target that the following observation task is based on are both unknown. In order to solve this problem, a backward integral strategy used to estimate the initial attitude and a target searching method intended to ensure the satellite acquires the target rapidly are included in the scheme. Simulation results proved that this scheme enabled the satellite, regardless of the initial conditions, to acquire the target within the limited observation time.
Highlights
Small satellites have been widely applied in various missions because of their smaller size and lower cost, which makes them agiler and allows them to achieve more complex tasks [1]
Wie et al developed an attitude control system for an agile spacecraft which needed to point to the target rapidly using control moment gyros [12], which Takahashi et al used for target pointing [13]
In order to deal with the device limits, a backward integral from the moment when the devices start to work to the separation moment, on the basis of the information measured by the devices, is utilized to estimate the initial attitude
Summary
Received 16 November 2020; Revised 24 January 2021; Accepted 22 February 2021; Published 15 March 2021. Small satellites, which are more and more popular and affordable, have been already widely applied in observation and monitoring missions. We propose a practical target searching scheme for a small satellite which suffers from the device limits during the first 7.5 seconds after the launch separation. Due to the device limits at the beginning of the separation, the initial attitude of the satellite and the position of the target that the following observation task is based on are both unknown. In order to solve this problem, a backward integral strategy used to estimate the initial attitude and a target searching method intended to ensure the satellite acquires the target rapidly are included in the scheme. Simulation results proved that this scheme enabled the satellite, regardless of the initial conditions, to acquire the target within the limited observation time
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