882 results about "Celestial body" patented technology

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes an inclinometer, an accurate timing device and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, inclination information from the inclinometer, time information from the timing device and the catalogued star charts information to determine positions of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to use this celestial position information to calculate latitude and longitude which may be displayed on a display device such as a monitor or used by a guidance control system. These embodiments are jam proof and insensitive to radio frequency interference. These systems provide efficient alternatives to GPS when GPS is unavailable and can be used for periodic augmentation of inertial navigation systems.

Mechanism for displaying the day and phase of at least a first celestial body, comprising a gear train for a constant frequency gear drive on an output of a timepiece movement. This mechanism includes a means for the three-dimensional display of the day and phase of said first celestial body represented by a first mobile component, which is driven by the gear train, which includes a phase train and a day train, each in mesh on an output of this same movement.

This phase train and/or this day train include at least one uncoupling means between the input and its output thereof.

An automatic celestial navigation system for navigating both night and day by observation of K-band or H-band infrared light from multiple stars. In a first set of preferred embodiments three relatively large aperture telescopes are rigidly mounted on a movable platform such as a ship or airplane with each telescope being directed at a substantially different portion of sky. Embodiments in this first set tend to be relatively large and heavy, such as about one cubic meter and about 60 pounds. In a second set of preferred embodiments one or more smaller aperture telescopes are pivotably mounted on a movable platform such as a ship, airplane or missile so that the telescope or telescopes can be pivoted to point toward specific regions of the sky. Embodiments of this second set are mechanically more complicated than those of the first set, but are much smaller and lighter and are especially useful for guidance of aircraft and missiles. Telescope optics focus (on to a pixel array of a sensor) H-band or K-band light from one or more stars in the field of view of each telescope. Each system also includes a GPS sensor and a computer processor having access to catalogued infrared star charts. The processor for each system is programmed with special algorithms to use image data from the infrared sensors, position and timing information from the GPS sensor, and the catalogued star charts information to determine orientation (attitude) of the platform. Direction information from two stars is needed for locating the platform with respect to the celestial sphere. The computer is also preferably programmed to calculate further information which may be used by a guidance control system. These systems provide efficient alternatives to inertial navigation systems when such systems are too expensive and can be used for periodic augmentation and calibration of inertial navigation systems.

This invention discloses a sort of measuring benchmark conversion method of the astronomical sensing device. The lamp-house simulator, the three-axes rotating floor and the photoelectric autocollimator shelves are fixed in the optical table, the astronomical sensing device is fixed in the inner frame of the three-axes rotating floor. A. Adjust the photoelectric autocollimator shelf and make the light axis to parallel with the inner frame of the rotating shaft. B. The middle frame and the outer frame of the rotational rotating floor obtain the data of the fixed point in different angle, and demarcate the inner parameter and outer parameter of the astronomical sensing device. Ensure the conversion matrix which is from the coordinate of the rotating floor to the coordinate of the astronomical sensing device. C. Measure the vector relation between the vertical vector of the two reflecting surface of the mirror cube and the light axes of the photoelectric autocollimator. Compute the conversion matrix which is from the coordinate of the rotating floor to the coordinate of the mirror cube. D. Compute the conversion matrix which is from the coordinate of the astronomical sensing device to the coordinate of the mirror cube. The product between the ray vectors of the astronomical sensing device and the conversion matrix is the vector direction after conversion. This invention discloses a sort of set which can realize the above method at the same time. The realization of this invention is simple and its precision is high.

The invention provides a novel, low-cost, spin-stabilized lander architecture capable (with appropriate system scaling tailored to the attributes of the target) of performing a soft-landing on a solar-system body such as Earth's Moon, Mars, Venus, the moons of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, selected near-Earth and main-belt asteroids, comets and Kuiper belt objects and even large human-made objects, and also moving about on the surface of the target solar-system body after the initial landing in movement akin to hopping.

The invention relates to an anchor positioning system for detecting a lander, in particular to the anchor positioning system for detecting a planetoid lander. The anchor positioning system solves the following problems of a telescopic sleeve connecting and positioning system: an anchor bill is inclined when in incidence and transverse impact load is acted on the lander, so as to damage instruments at the inner part of the lander; a moving part of a telescopic sleeve is changed in quality during the incidence, so as to cause difficulty in estimating initial emission energy. An advancing mechanism is fixedly arranged on the side face of a cable box body, a winding mechanism is fixedly arranged on a rear end cover of the cable box body, a locking and unlocking mechanism is fixedly arranged on a right shell body of the winding mechanism, a connecting rope is stored in the cable box body, one end of the connecting rope is fixed on an anchor rod pin, and the other end of the connecting ropeis fixedly connected with a winding reel. A winding motor and an unlocking motor are connected with a pin socket by a lead wire. The anchor positioning system can also be used not only for detecting the lander of a small celestial body with weak surface gravitation such as the comet and the like, but also for automatic operation of a robot in dangerous environments.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include user-directed automated telescope alignment systems and methods. In various embodiments, the automated alignment procedure provides for user-direction in selecting astronomical alignment objects. For example, in an embodiment, after the telescope is aligned according to a first approximation alignment, the user may direct the field of view of the telescope system to a viewable, sufficiently bright astronomical object. Upon bringing the object into the field of view, the alignment procedure advantageously identifies the likely astronomical object based on the first approximation alignment. The procedure also updates the first approximation alignment based on known information about the identified object. The process of user-direction to additional viewable bright astronomical objects provides for more precise and accurate mappings of telescope movements to celestial field of view.

The invention relates to an autonomous optical navigation method for soft landing of a deep space probe, and belongs to the field of space flight and aviation. The autonomous optical navigation method comprises the following steps: firstly, reading a corresponding pixel and a pixel line coordinate of a target landing point on an image plane photographed by an optical navigation camera, and the distance of the probe from a landing plane in three laser ranging device mounting directions; secondly, determining the posture of the probe relative to a landing plane of a target astronomical body by using the obtained distance measured by the three laser ranging devices and the mounting azimuth angle and pitch angle of the known ranging device; thirdly, determining the position relationship between the probe and the target landing point by using the obtained distance di measured by the three laser ranging devices and the pixel and the pixel line coordinate of the target landing point; and finally, performing filter estimation on the position, speed, posture and angular speed information of the probe relative to the landing area. The autonomous optical navigation method for the soft landing of the deep space probe has the characteristics of high reliability, low cost and strong real-time, and can highly precisely determine the position and posture of the probe relative to the target landing point.

A hand-held electronic celestial object-locating device assists in identifying a celestial object or directing a user to a desired celestial object. The device is useful for locating or identifying any celestial object including stars, constellations, planets, comets, asteroids, artificial satellites, and deep sky objects to name a few. The device utilizes sensors for 3-axis magnetic field and 3-axis gravitational field detection. The device utilizes a processor and an electronic database to perform the required calculations. The device's database may be updated through access to the Internet through which the updates may be purchased.

The invention relates to an adaptive optical aster target imaging system based on image clearing principle, mainly comprising receiving telescope, spectroscope, reflection deformable mirror, high-voltage amplifier, photo detector, main control computer, control algorithm, high-speed digital processor and image-quality diagnosis system. The invention can make use aster target itself as beacon. It is not need that dear wave-front sensor is used to measure the wave-front error of beam from space target. Image clearing index, which can reflect wave-front error information, can be used to measure quality factor for system imaging ability. By controlling the reflection deformable mirror to correct the wave-front error the quality factor can achieve or approach the optimal value. The invention is provided with simple structure, easy regulation, real-time imaging, convenient control, and eliminating or decreasing bacon no-isoplanatic error. Under the condition of very strong atmospheric turbulence aster target can be imaged effectively. The cost of conventional adaptive optical system for imaging compensation of aster target can be decreased greatly.

The invention relates to a six-wheel/leg half ball shell detecting robot, pertaining to the celestial body detecting facility field, which comprises a body and a moving mechanism connected which the body. The body comprises an upper chassis and a lower chassis, and a vision mechanism positioned at the upper end and a half ball shell; wherein the upper and lower chassis consists of two layers of round tray type structures which are parallelly arranged; the interlayer of the component is provided with an energy module; the circumferential edge between the upper chassis and the lower chassis is evenly provided with six wheel/leg structures. The middle part of the upper chassis is provided with an interlayer supporting component which fixes the vision mechanism which can be lifted. The robot can adapt to special environment through changing the different moving manners of the robot. The invention has the advantages of the foot type walking mechanism of a wheel type steering mechanism; the six groups of wheels/legs can realize a plurality of moving manners so as to realize no-radius turning; the two legs of the detecting robot can realize the function of an operation arm; flexible and reliable operation also can be progressed in special environment through arranging various additional devices.

A novel Parametric Systematic Error Correction (ParSEC) system is disclosed which provides improved system accuracy for image navigation and registration (INR). This system may be employed in any suitable imaging system and, more specifically, to all imaging systems that exhibit systematic distortion. The ParSEC system may be employed to any such system regardless of sensing type (remote or in situ) or imaging media (photon or charged particle) and is further applicable to corrected imaging of any celestial body currently detectable to remove distortion and systematic error from the imaging system employed. The ParSEC system of the instant invention comprises a software algorithm that generates at least about 12 correction coefficients for each of the INR system measurements such as stars, visible landmarks, infrared (IR) landmarks and earth edges. An iterative estimation algorithm such as, for example, least squares or Kalman filters may be employed to determine the at least about 12 correction coefficients from each set of measurement residuals. The improved image products provide more accurate weather forecasting such as wind velocity and temperature.

An arc-driven large-bore astronomical telescope is driven by a RE permanent-magnet synchronized arc motor. A control mechanism includes an upper machine and a lower machine; the upper machine is connected with the lower machine through serial communication; the lower machine carries out the real-time control; a motor stator is composed of 15 blocks, each block consists of 9 complete silicon steel plates and two silicon steel plates for reducing the edge effect; an armature winding is arranged according to UVWUVWUVW from right to left; a rotor is composed of 4 blocks and has 120 magnetic steel plates in total, the rotor adopts the torque design for reducing tooth space and is provided with a fastening device; an absolute coder and an incremental coder are simultaneously arranged in the control mechanism signal collecting and comparing links, the former is used for the turnover of a servo motor and the latter is used for testing the position of the servo motor; the signal of the coder is transferred to the DSP module of the lower machine through a singlechip; a drive circuit adopts a digital-driven intelligent power module. The present invention can achieve the needs of long-time, high-precision tracing and observing various celestial bodies and meet the requirements of precision and wide speed regulation in astronomic observation.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include self-aligning telescope control systems and self-alignment methods. In an embodiment, a telescope control system orients a telescope with respect to the celestial sphere by pointing the telescope in the direction of an alignment star or alignment area of the sky. The telescope control system images a field of view in the alignment area, and processes the images to determine the celestial coordinates of a center of the filed a field of view the alignment area. The telescope control system then maps the telescope's coordinate system to the celestial coordinate system. Once mapped, the telescope control system can advantageously slew the telescope to any desired celestial object in the viewable sky based on, for example, user selection, system recommendations, combinations of the same, or the like.

A payload for a repeater satellite of a communication system. The repeater satellite being placed into drift orbit above the surface of a celestial body. The payload being configured to repeat data received from a stationary satellite above the surface of the celestial body towards a terminal substantially at the surface of the celestial body, and to repeat data received from the terminal towards the stationary satellite. The payload is further configured to use a single frequency band for repeating data towards the stationary satellite, referred to as uplink transmission, and for repeating data towards the terminal, referred to as downlink transmission, as well as to time-division

The invention discloses a three-dimensional direction angle measuring device and method using celestial body position as alignment calibration reference. The device is composed of a celestial body sensor, an optical telescope, an azimuth pitch axis frame, a plurality of sensors, a controller and a base. The optical telescope is arranged on the pitch axis of the azimuth pitch axis frame; the celestial body sensor is installed above the lens cone of the optical telescope or on the spindle nose of the pitch axis; and the principal optic axis of the celestial body sensor is parallel to that of the lens cone of the optical telescope. Because the celestial body sensor can sense the positions of fixed stars and planets in the sky, the positions of fixed stars and planets can be used as the calibration reference for spatial measurement to provide three-dimensional high precision angle of direction, so as to further improve the accuracy of the space angle of direction of three-dimensional directional instrument. At the same time, high precision directing of horizontal reference surface, tilt datum plane, due east, due south, due west, due north and vertical direction, and the accuracy of the angle of direction reaches the level of arc second even sub arc second.

Methods and computer products for establishing at least one of attitude, direction and position of a moving platform. At least one skymark of known ephemeris is imaged at each of a first set of discrete instants by means of an optical sensor coupled to the platform. A measurement is also obtained of the attitude of the platform at each of a second set of discrete instants by means of an inertial navigation system. A recursive of estimation filter is then applied to successive skymark position vectors to update an estimate of platform navigation state, with the measurement of attitude of the platform tightly coupled to the estimate of platform navigation state as updated by the recursive estimation filter. Various techniques of frame stacking and multi-hypothesis tracking may be applied to improve the robustness of navigation solutions.

The invention discloses a soft landing relay obstacle avoiding method which is used for completing soft landing of a celestial body through two matched stages, namely a rough obstacle avoiding stage and a fine obstacle avoiding stage, wherein in the rough obstacle avoiding stage, a visible-light camera is used for carrying out rough detection on a larger range and larger obstacles to remove largeobstacles which directly threaten landing safety; and then the surface of the celestial body is subjected to accurate three-dimensional obstacle detection by utilizing laser scanning in a safe area selected in the rough obstacle avoiding stage so as to obtain and remove obstacles with smaller dimensions and ensure landing safety to the maximum extent. The soft landing relay obstacle avoiding method disclosed by the invention has good autonomy and high reliability, can be used for soft landing detection of the celestial body with more complicated terrain, and is especially applicable to soft landing of deep-space unmanned celestial bodies in a longer distance; the soft landing relay obstacle avoiding method greatly improves the obstacle avoiding capacity and lengthens the obstacle avoidingdistance, and improves the landing safety; and the soft landing relay obstacle avoiding method reduces the technical index requirement on sensors, reduces the difficulty in research of visible-light/laser imaging sensors, and is beneficial to engineering application.

A celestial compass kit. The kit includes an inclinometer, a camera system with a special telecentric fisheye lens for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of at least one celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. The telecentric fisheye lens produces an image on the sensor located at or near the focal plane which remains spatially constant within sub-micron accuracies despite thermally produced changes in the focus of the lens.

A celestial weapons orientation measuring system. The system includes a miniature celestial direction detection device. The device includes an inclinometer, a camera for imaging at least one celestial object and a processor programmed with a celestial catalog providing known positions at specific times of at least one celestial object and algorithms for automatically calculating target direction information based on the inclination of the system as measured by the inclinometer and the known positions of the celestial object as provided by the celestial catalog and as imaged by the camera. Similar to the training technique discussed in the background section, the pretend enemy wears a GPS detector and transmitter, and a computer system is preferably provided which determines when a trigger-pull results in a “casualty”. Preferred embodiments also include an inertial navigation sensor including a magnetic compass and a memory-based optical navigation system that permits continued operation on cloudy days and even in certain in-door environments.