Star Sensor Bus System Redundancy for Positioning Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing star sensor systems for determining the position of flying objects, such as satellites, face challenges in maintaining high precision and reliability due to potential failures of individual sensors or components, which can lead to errors in position measurement.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing multiple star sensors with the same or different fields of view and viewing directions, connected via a bus system for data transmission, where one sensor acts as a master to ensure high precision, and includes data processing levels to compensate for failures, allowing for autonomous position determination and correction of erroneous orientations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple star sensors are used to improve reliability and precision, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into multiple independent star sensors, each capable of autonomous position determination. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high measurement precision through multiple sensors while managing complexity by making each sensor a self-contained unit that can operate independently.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple star sensors are combined into a single sensor system with centralized evaluation. The sensors share common resources such as the star catalog and evaluation algorithms, which reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the benefits of multiple sensors for improved precision and reliability.
2Reliability
If star sensors are connected via bus system for data exchange, then reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bus system serves multiple functions: data transmission between sensors, exchange of processing results, and coordination of autonomous operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated communication channels, thereby improving reliability through redundancy while limiting the increase in connection complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bus system acts as an intermediary that facilitates data exchange between multiple star sensors and the central evaluation unit. This standardized communication interface simplifies the overall system architecture by providing a universal connection method, reducing complexity while enabling reliable data transmission and redundancy.
3Reliability
If data processing levels are implemented to compensate for failures, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where sensors exchange processing results and coordinate system transformation data through the bus system. This feedback allows for real-time compensation of failures and errors, improving reliability while distributing the precision requirements across multiple sensors rather than demanding extreme precision from a single sensor.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares for potential failures by implementing redundant sensors and pre-established data exchange protocols. When a failure occurs, the system can switch to using data from other sensors that have been continuously processing and exchanging information, cushioning the impact of the failure without requiring extreme manufacturing precision to maintain operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enhances the reliability and precision of position determination by enabling data exchange and redundancy among star sensors, ensuring continuous and corrected position data even in the presence of component failures, thereby improving the overall accuracy and robustness of the system.
Implementation Method 1
detect sky sections by means of an optical system and a light-sensitive matrix detector
Implementation Method 2
light-sensitive matrix detector
Data Source
AI summary
A method for increasing the reliability of sensor systems for determining the position of flying objects. Since the position determination is very decisive for the execution of planned missions, it is especially important to increase the reliability of such systems. The star sensors of the star systems are preferably structured identically and connected to each other by a bidirectional bus system. Due to the presence of several identical modules in the sensor system, there is an inner redundancy that can be utilized via the bus system. The bus system allows the transmission of signals of different data processing levels, so that the transmission of the data of the data processing levels can be adapted to modules that may have failed.