DEVELOPMENT OF ULTRA-LIGHT 2-AXES SUN SENSOR FOR SMALL SATELLITE

• Published in: Journal of astronomy and space sciences Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 47 - 58
• Main Authors: Kim, Su-Jeoung, Kim, Sun-Ok, Moon, Byoung-Young, Chang, Young-Keun, Oh, Hwa-Suk
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 한국우주과학회 01-03-2005; The Korean Space Science Society
• Subjects: analog sun sensor; field of view; micro/nano satellite; ultra-light; analog sun sensor; micro/nano satellite; field of view; ultra-light
• ISSN: 2093-5587; 2093-1409
• DOI: 10.5140/JASS.2005.22.1.047

This paper addresses development of the ultra-light analog sun sensors for small satellite applications. The sun sensor is suitable for attitude determination for small satellite because of its small, light, low-cost, and low power consumption characteristics. The sun sensor is designed, manufactured and characteristic-tested with the target requirements of ±60° FOV (Field of View) and pointing accuracy of ±2°. Since the sun sensor has nonlinear characteristics between output measurement voltage and incident angle of sunlight, a higher order calibration equation is required for error correction. The error was calculated by using a polynomial calibration equation that was computed by the least square method obtained from the measured voltages vs. angles characteristics. Finally, the accuracies of 1-axis and 2-axes sun sensors, which consist of 2 detectors, are compared.