Journal of Power Electronics

The Korean Institute of Power Electronics (전력전자학회)
권호 표지

A Solar Cell Based Coarse Sun Sensor for a Small LEO Satellite Attitude Determination

  • Zahran, Mohamed (Department of Electrical Engineering, Jizan University) ;
  • Aly, Mohamed (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Old Dominion University)
  • Published : 2009.06.20
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

The sun is a useful reference direction because of its brightness relative to other astronomical objects and its relatively small apparent radius as viewed by spacecrafts near the Earth. Most satellites use solar power as a source of energy, and so need to make sure that solar panels are oriented correctly with respect to the sun. Also, some satellites have sensitive instruments that must not be exposed to direct sunlight. For all these reasons, sun sensors are important components in spacecraft attitude determination and control systems. To minimize components and structural mass, some components have multiple purposes. The solar cells will provide power and also be used as coarse sun sensors. A coarse Sun sensor is a low-cost attitude determination sensor suitable for a wide range of space missions. The sensor measures the sun angle in two orthogonal axes. The Sun sensor measures the sun angle in both azimuth and elevation. This paper presents the development of a model to determine the attitude of a small cube-shaped satellite in space relative to the sun's direction. This sensor helps small cube-shaped Pico satellites to perform accurate attitude determination without requiring additional hardware.

Keywords

References

  1. Yonatan Winetraub et.al, "Attitude Determination Advanced Sun Sensors for Pico-satellites," 17th European Union Contest for Young Scientists, Moscow, Bauman Univ., Sept., 2005
  2. Sensors for Spacecraft Applications, www.tsgc.utexas.edu/achieve/subsystems/sensors.pdf
  3. Ralph D Lorenz, Flight and attitude dynamics measurements of an instrumented Frisbee, lOP Publishing Ltd, 2005
  4. J. Wertz, Spacecraft Attitude Determination & Control, Microcosm inc., 1978
  5. Kristin L. Makovec, Andrew J. Turner and Christopher D. Hall, "Design and Implementation of a Nanosatellite Attitude Determination and Control System", AAS 01-311
  6. Jo Ryeong Yim, John L. Crassidis and John L. Junkins, "Autonomous Orbit Navigation of Interplantary Spacecraft," American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Paper, AIAA-2000-3936
  7. Michael Swartwout, Tanya Olsen, Christopher Kitts, "THE Omni-Directional Differential Sun Sensor," in proc. of 31st Annual International Telemetry Conference: Reengineering Telemetry, 1995. ssdl.stanford. eduJssdl/images/stories/papers/1995/ssdI9501. pdf
  8. M. Ferrante, M. Povia, L. Di Ciolo,A. Ortenzi, M. Petrozzi, IRECINN ano-satellite communication system and ground segment, Acta Astronautica, 2005
  9. Hank Heidtl, Jordi Puig-Suari2, Augustus S. Moore3, Shinichi Nakasuka4, and Robert J. Twiggs5, "CubeS at: A new Generation of Picosatellite for Education and Industry Low-Cost Space Experimentation", in proc. of 4th Annual AJAAIUSU Coriference on Small Satellites, 2001
  10. Brian M. Menges, Carlos A. Guadiamos, and Emily K. Lewis, "Dynamic Modeling of MicroSatellite Spartnik'sAttitude," http://www.engr.sjsu.eduJspartnik/pdfJadaepaper. pdf
  11. Bernt Ove Sunde, "Sensor modeling and attitude determination for micro-satellite," M.Sc Thesis, Departemenf of Engineering Cybernetics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), June, 2005
  12. M. Zahran, "In Orbit Performance of LEO Satellite Electrical Power Subsystcm SW Package for Modelling and Simulation Based on MatLab.7 GUI," Journal of WSEAS Transactions on Power Systems, Vol. 1, No.5, 2006
  13. Chbotov, A. V., Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control, OrbitTM A Foundation SERIES, 1991
  14. T. Lee, A. Sanyal, M. Leok, and N. McClarnroch, "Deterministic Global Attitude Estimation," in Proc. of the 45th IEEE Conference on Decision & Control, 2006
  15. Sidi, M., Spacecraft Dynamics & Control, Cambridge Univ. press, 1997
  16. Crassidis, J. L. and Markley, F. L, Y. Cheng, "Survey of Nonlinear Attitude Estimation Methods," Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 30, No.1, 2007
  17. D. Choukroun, L Y. Bar-Itzhack, and Y. Oshman, "Optimal-Request Algorithm lor Attitude Determination," Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 27, No.3, 2004
  18. M. Aly, "Observers for Spacecraft Attitude Estimation," M.Sc. thesis, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo UniversityGiza- Egypt, December 2005
  19. Jeong-Man Han, Byung-Hwan, Jeong Jae-Seok Gho, Gyu-Ha Choe, "Analysis of PWM Converter for V-I Output Characteristics of Solar Cell," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 3, No.1, pp.62-67, 2003
  20. M. Zahran, M. Okasha, Galina A. Ivanova, "Assessment of Earth Remote Sensing Microsatellite Power Subsystem Capability during Detumbling and Nominal Modes," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 6, No.1, pp.18-28, 2006
  21. M. Zahran, S. Tawfik, Gelmady Dyakov, "L.E.O. Satellite Power Subsystem Reliability Analysis," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol. 6, No.2, pp.104-113, 2006
  22. Sheldon S. Williamson, S. Chowdary Rimmalapudi, Ali Emadi, "Electrical Modeling of Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Storage Devices," Journal of Power Electronics, Vol 4, No.2, pp.117-126, 2004