CA2266679A1 - Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging - Google Patents

Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging

Info

Publication number
CA2266679A1
CA2266679A1 CA002266679A CA2266679A CA2266679A1 CA 2266679 A1 CA2266679 A1 CA 2266679A1 CA 002266679 A CA002266679 A CA 002266679A CA 2266679 A CA2266679 A CA 2266679A CA 2266679 A1 CA2266679 A1 CA 2266679A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
detector
attitude
boundary
providing
satellite
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002266679A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2266679C (en
Inventor
Charles Hersom
Zvika Afik
Allan Hollinger
Paul J. Thomas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
CENTRE FOR RESEARCH IN EARTH AND SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Canadian Space Agency
Thales Optronique Canada Inc
Original Assignee
Centre For Research In Earth And Space Technology
Alliedsignal Inc.
Canadian Space Agency
Charles Hersom
Zvika Afik
Allan Hollinger
Paul J. Thomas
Institute For Space And Terrestial Science
Alliedsignal Aerospatiale Canada Inc.
Thomson-Csf Optronics Canada Inc./Thomson-Csf Optronique Canada Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/710,308 external-priority patent/US5721431A/en
Priority claimed from CA 2186211 external-priority patent/CA2186211A1/en
Application filed by Centre For Research In Earth And Space Technology, Alliedsignal Inc., Canadian Space Agency, Charles Hersom, Zvika Afik, Allan Hollinger, Paul J. Thomas, Institute For Space And Terrestial Science, Alliedsignal Aerospatiale Canada Inc., Thomson-Csf Optronics Canada Inc./Thomson-Csf Optronique Canada Inc. filed Critical Centre For Research In Earth And Space Technology
Priority to CA002266679A priority Critical patent/CA2266679C/en
Priority claimed from PCT/CA1997/000672 external-priority patent/WO1998012108A2/en
Publication of CA2266679A1 publication Critical patent/CA2266679A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2266679C publication Critical patent/CA2266679C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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  • Photometry And Measurement Of Optical Pulse Characteristics (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for distinguishing a boundary of an object, and the object itself, from its background. In the method electromagnetic radiation is detected from at least two fields of view substantially spanning the boundary of the object and background adjacent to the boundary and superimposed or overlaid as images onto a detector (36). The method includes correlating spatial transitions in intensity of the overlaid images on the detector with a boundary of the object.
When used for determining the attitude of a satellite with respect to the earth, the detector is a thermal infrared detector (36) thereby providing a sharp contrast between the thermal emission of the earth and cold space. The invention provides a simple, effective method and device for determining satellite orientation and/or attitude with respect to a thermal infrared-emitting target body.
The sensor includes a segmented limb-looking mirror (32) to provide multiple fields-of-view within the field-of-regard and superimposing these fields-of-view as images onto a common detector (36).
The required resolution can be obtained while providing a wide range of operational orbital altitudes. The attitude of the satellite can vary by a large angle from the minimal orientation while still permitting an accurate determination of attitude. Multiple channels in a modular form provide redundancy, improved accuracy, and the opportunity of providing more diverse configurations. The utilization of uncooled microbolometer arrays as imaging detectors removes the requirement for additional cooling equipment thereby providing a low cost, small size and low mass sensor with configurational flexibility and no moving parts.
CA002266679A 1996-09-17 1997-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging Expired - Lifetime CA2266679C (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA002266679A CA2266679C (en) 1996-09-17 1997-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US08/710,308 1996-09-17
US08/710,308 US5721431A (en) 1996-09-17 1996-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging
CA2,186,211 1996-09-23
CA 2186211 CA2186211A1 (en) 1996-09-23 1996-09-23 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging
PCT/CA1997/000672 WO1998012108A2 (en) 1996-09-17 1997-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging
CA002266679A CA2266679C (en) 1996-09-17 1997-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2266679A1 true CA2266679A1 (en) 1998-03-26
CA2266679C CA2266679C (en) 2005-11-15

Family

ID=29715690

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002266679A Expired - Lifetime CA2266679C (en) 1996-09-17 1997-09-17 Satellite attitude sensor using thermal imaging

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA2266679C (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115060227A (en) * 2022-06-15 2022-09-16 北京信息科技大学 Combined included angle measuring method for satellite on-orbit visual axis pointing change high-precision measurement

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN115060227A (en) * 2022-06-15 2022-09-16 北京信息科技大学 Combined included angle measuring method for satellite on-orbit visual axis pointing change high-precision measurement
CN115060227B (en) * 2022-06-15 2023-05-12 北京信息科技大学 Combined included angle measurement method for high-precision measurement of satellite in-orbit visual axis pointing change

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2266679C (en) 2005-11-15

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