METHOD FOR ORIENTATION OF NEAR-EARTH ORBITING SPACECRAFT Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC B64G1/24 B64G1/32 

FIELD: space technology.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to systems for orientation of spacecrafts (hereinafter – SC) in the Earth’s magnetic field (hereinafter – EMF). According to the invention, magnetometers measuring a magnetic induction vector (B) of EMF in a related coordinate system (hereinafter – RCS) of SC are used as sensors of SC position. A magnetic induction vector (B₀) of EMF in projections on the axis of an orbital coordinate system (hereinafter – OCS) is calculated by an analytical model of EMF. Rotation of SC relatively to OCS is equated to reverse rotation of the vector: B→A relatively to OCS, while the rotated vector A is assigned with coordinates of the vector B in RCS, by which quaternion of mutual orientation of vectors A and B₀ in OCS is calculated. The corresponding quaternion of an angular velocity is calculated by measured projections of the absolute angular velocity of SC on the axis of RCS. The method allows for restoration of orientation of SC in OCS from a random position, as well as for program orientation of SC in OCS without limitations.

EFFECT: applicability of a method to almost any types of SC, and the most effectively to SC of small sizes.

1 cl, 4 dwg