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GPS Attitude Determination Using Deployable-Mounted AntennasThe primary objective of this investigation is to develop a method to solve for spacecraft attitude in the presence of potential incomplete antenna deployment. Most research on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in attitude determination has assumed that the antenna baselines are known to less than 5 centimeters, or one quarter of the GPS signal wavelength. However, if the GPS antennas are mounted on a deployable fixture such as a solar panel, the actual antenna positions will not necessarily be within 5 cm of nominal. Incomplete antenna deployment could cause the baselines to be grossly in error, perhaps by as much as a meter. Overcoming this large uncertainty in order to accurately determine attitude is the focus of this study. To this end, a two-step solution method is proposed. The first step uses a least-squares estimate of the baselines to geometrically calculate the deployment angle errors of the solar panels. For the spacecraft under investigation, the first step determines the baselines to 3-4 cm with 4-8 minutes of data. A Kalman filter is then used to complete the attitude determination process, resulting in typical attitude errors of 0.50.
Document ID
19960017562
Acquisition Source
Langley Research Center
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Osborne, Michael L. (George Washington Univ. Hampton, VA United States)
Tolson, Robert H. (George Washington Univ. Hampton, VA United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
March 1, 1996
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
NASA-CR-4721
NAS 1.26:4721
Accession Number
96N23142
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NCC1-104
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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