Satellite camera attitude determination and image navigation by means of earth edge and landmark measurement
First Claim
1. A method for imaging a celestial object with a spacecraft orbiting the celestial object, comprising steps of:
- operating an imager instrument aboard the spacecraft to generate data representing an image of the celestial object;
processing the image data to derive a location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location of edges of the celestial object in the image; and
further processing the detected locations to obtain an attitude of the imager instrument.
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Abstract
A method and system is disclosed for imaging a celestial object, typically the Earth, with a spacecraft orbiting the celestial object. The method includes steps of (a) operating an imager instrument aboard the spacecraft to generate data representing an image of the celestial object; (b) processing the image data to derive the location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location of edges of the celestial object in the image; and (c) further processing the detected locations to obtain the attitude of the imager instrument. The method includes a further step of outputting the image and the imager instrument attitude to at least one end-user of the image, and/or using the imager instrument attitude to revise the image before outputting the image to the at least one end-user of the image. The generated data preferably represents a one half frame image, and the steps of processing and further processing thus occur at a one half frame rate. The step of processing includes a step of applying the a priori knowledge of the attitude coefficients in processing new observations to determine the imager current attitude.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for imaging a celestial object with a spacecraft orbiting the celestial object, comprising steps of:
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operating an imager instrument aboard the spacecraft to generate data representing an image of the celestial object; processing the image data to derive a location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location of edges of the celestial object in the image; and further processing the detected locations to obtain an attitude of the imager instrument. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for imaging a celestial object with a spacecraft orbiting the celestial object, comprising steps of:
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operating an imager instrument aboard the spacecraft to generate scan-line data representing an image of the celestial object; processing the scan-line data to derive a location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location, along at least two scan-lines, of edges of the celestial object in the image; and further processing the detected locations to obtain an attitude of the imager instrument. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An observation system for obtaining an image of the Earth, comprising:
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a spacecraft orbiting the Earth, said spacecraft comprising an imager instrument having a camera for obtaining an image of the Earth; and a terrestrial data processor system linked to said spacecraft through a first communication link for receiving said obtained image and for processing said obtained image to derive a location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location, along at least two image scan-lines, of edges of the Earth in the image, and further processing the detected locations to obtain an attitude of at least said imager instrument, said observation system further comprising means for providing at least the image to at least one end-user of the image. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30)
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Specification