A Star Pattern Recognition Algorithm for the

Double-FOV Star Sensor

Baohua Li
Qi Sun
Harbin Institute of Technology
Harbin, China

Tongshuang Zhang
China Satellite Maritime Tracking and
Controlling Department
Jiangyin, China

INTRODUCTION
A reliable attitude determination system is critical to the success of spacecrafts [1][3]. As high accuracy and high reliability devices, star sensors play an important role in attitude
determination for satellites [4][6]. Based on the star images
sampled by star sensors, the locations of the star image in the
VWDUVHQVRUFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPFDQEHLGHQWLHGZLWKLGHQWLFDtion algorithms. With the help of the coordinates of the star imDJHVLQWKHHOGRIYLHZ)29DWKUHHD[LVDWWLWXGHRIWKHVWDU
sensor in the inertial coordinate can be calculated and then the
attitude of the satellites can be calculated through coordinate
WUDQVIRUPLQJ+RZHYHUWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKP
is the most important for attitude determination of star sensors.
The probability of success and the time to identify stars of the
star pattern recognition algorithm are the key factors for star
sensors [7].
In order to increase accuracy of the roll angle calculated by
VWDUVHQVRUVVWDUVHQVRUVGHYHORSHGIURPVLQJOH)29WRGRXEOH
)29 >@ &RPSDUHG ZLWK VLQJOH)29 VWDU VHQVRUV GRXEOH
)29 VWDU VHQVRUV FDQ FDSWXUH PRUH REVHUYHG VWDUV IURP GLIIHUHQW)29V%HVLGHVGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUVFDQFRPSOHWH
star pattern recognition and attitude calculating in the event of
DIDLOXUHLQRQHRIWKH)29V'RXEOH)29VKHOSWRHQKDQFHWKH
precision and reliability of attitude information for star senVRUV$WSUHVHQWPRVWRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUVLGHQWLI\
WKHREVHUYHGVWDUVLQWKHVWDULPDJHRIHDFKVLQJOH)29RIWKH
VWDUVHQVRUVLQJO\ZLWKWKHVWDUSDWWHUQDOJRULWKPV>@>@DQG
FDOFXODWH DWWLWXGH LQIRUPDWLRQ LQ HDFK VLQJOH )29 RI WKH VWDU
VHQVRU VLQJO\ 7KHQ WKH QDO DWWLWXGH RI WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU

Authors address: Harbin Institute of Technology, Control Science and Control, No1 Yi Kuang, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150001,
China, 045186402350. E-mail: (libaohua@hit.edu.cn).
Support for this research was provided by the Joint Laboratory of Ocean-based Flight Vehicle Measurement and Control
Open Fund FOM2014OF13.
Manuscript received November 17, 2014, revised April 5, 2015,
and ready for publication June 10, 2015.
DOI No. 10.1109/MAES.2015.140208.
Review handled by M. Jah.
0885/8985/15/$26.00 2015 IEEE
24

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)29 RI WKH VWDU VHQVRU XVLQJ LQIRUPDWLRQ IXVLRQ DOJRULWKPV
%XWWKHVHNLQGVRIGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUVFDQQRWRXWSXWWKH
DWWLWXGHLQIRUPDWLRQZKLOHWKHQXPEHURIREVHUYHGVWDUVLQHDFK
)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRULVQRWHQRXJKWRH[HFXWHWKHVWDUSDWWHUQ
recognition algorithm. Therefore, a novel star pattern recogQLWLRQ DOJRULWKP IRU GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRUV LV SUHVHQWHG LQ
WKLVDUWLFOH)LUVWO\WKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIREVHUYHGVWDUVLQWKH
SKRWR FRRUGLQDWH V\VWHP DUH REWDLQHG VLQJO\ IURP HDFK )29
of the star sensor. Then the star coordinates in the image space
FRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIHDFK)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUDUHFDOFXODWHG
VLQJO\ZLWKWKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIREVHUYHGVWDUVDQGWKHIRFDO
OHQJWKRIWKHVWDUVHQVRU7KHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29
LQ WKH LPDJH VSDFH FRRUGLQDWH V\VWHP RI WKH VHFRQG )29 DUH
FDOFXODWHGZLWKWKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVSDFHFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHUVW)29DQGWKHLQFOXGHG
DQJOH EHWZHHQ WKH WZR RSWLF D[LV GLUHFWLRQV RI WKH )29V$OO
WKHREVHUYHGVWDUVLQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHVRUWHGLQ
ascending order by star magnitude. The sum of the cosine value
RIWKHLQWHUVWDUDQJOHEHWZHHQWKHWKUHHVWDUVDQGWKHQXPEHURI
WKHREVHUYHGVWDUVLQWKHUVW)29LVVHOHFWHGDVWKHFKDUDFWHULVWLFSDUDPHWHUIRUWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKP)LQDOO\
the attitude information in the image space coordinate system
RIWKHVHFRQG)29IRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULVFDOFXODWHG
ZLWK(624>@

THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE GUIDE STAR DATABASE

The guide star database is stored in the memory of a star sensor.
$Q REVHUYHG VWDU VDPSOHG E\ D VWDU VHQVRU FDQ QG LWV PDWFKLQJJXLGHVWDUIURPWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHZLWKWKHVWDUSDWWHUQ
recognition algorithm. An important basis to establish the guide
star database is also the star pattern recognition algorithm. The
establishment of the guide star database is designed to minimize
WKHVHDUFKWLPHDQGUHGXFHFRPSXWDWLRQDOFRPSOH[LW\IRUWKHVWDU
SDWWHUQ UHFRJQLWLRQ DOJRULWKP 6R WKH FRQVWUXFWLRQ RI WKH JXLGH
star database is of great importance to the star pattern recognition
algorithm.
In order to cover the overall celestial sphere as far as possible,
DOO WKH VWDUV ZKRVH VWHOODU PDJQLWXGH LV OHVV WKDQ  IURP WKH
6.<FDWDORJXHDUHVHOHFWHGDVWKHEDVLFJXLGDQFHVWDUV7KH
QXPEHURIWKHEDVLFJXLGDQFHVWDUVLV$OOWKHEDVLFJXLGDQFH

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VWDUVDUHUHQXPEHUHGIURPWR7KHQWKHFHOHVWLDOVSKHUHLV
VHJPHQWHGXQLIRUPO\LQWRVXEDUHDV(YHU\VXEDUHDUHSUHVHQWVDQ
area of 1 deg in declination and 1 deg in right ascension. The opWLFD[LVRULHQWDWLRQRIWKHUVW)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRULVWKHFHQWHU
of every subarea. And all the stars called S1LQWKHUVW)29RIWKH
star sensor are obtained from the basic guidance stars. The optic
D[LVRULHQWDWLRQRIWKHVHFRQG)29LVFDOFXODWHGZLWKWKHLQFOXGHG
DQJOHEHWZHHQWKHWZRRSWLFD[LVGLUHFWLRQVRIWKH)29V$WWKH
same time all the stars called SLQWKHVHFRQG)29RIWKHVWDUVHQsor are obtained from the basic guidance stars. All the stars called
S from S1 and S are selected. The three brightest stars from S are
VHOHFWHG7KHUVWEULJKWHVWVWDULVFDOOHGSa. The second brightest star is called Sb. And the third brightest star is called Sc. The
cosine value of interstar angle d1EHWZHHQVWDUVSa and Sb is calculated. The cosine value of interstar angle dEHWZHHQVWDUVSa and
Sc is calculated. The cosine value of interstar angle d3 EHWZHHQ
stars Sb and Sc is calculated. If the number of stars from S is less
than 3, the procedure of construction of the guide star database
continues. The cosine value of interstar angle d1, d, and d3 are
QRWVDYHGGLUHFWO\LQWKHPHPRU\RIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
in order to reduce the storage space of the guide star database for
WKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU7KHVXPRIWKHFRVLQHYDOXHRIWKH
interstar angle DmLVVDYHGLQWKHPHPRU\RIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDU
sensor. DmLVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV


ZKHUHm is the m th three-star the cosine value of the interstar

DQJOHLQWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
The set DZLWKDVFHQGLQJRUGHULVWKUHHVWDUWKHFRVLQHYDOXH
of the interstar angle in the guide star database for the double)29VWDUVHQVRUD LVDVIROORZV


ZKHUH n is the number of the cosine values of the interstar

DQJOHEHWZHHQWKUHHVWDUVLQWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
In order to reduce the time of calculating cosine values of
the interstar angle of the star pattern recognition algorithm for
WKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUWKHDJF is saved in the guide star
GDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU7KHDJFLVDVIROORZV
AUGUST 2015

7KHVWUXFWXUHRIWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29
VWDUVHQVRULVDVIROORZV
6WUXFW7UL$%&^
int Sa 7KHVWDUQXPEHURIWKHUVWEULJKWHVWVWDU 
int Sb; /* The star number of the second brightest star */
int Sc; /* The star number of the third brightest star */
double D; /* The sum of the cosine value of interstar angle */
unsigned char F WKHDJ `
7KH JXLGH VWDU GDWDEDVH IRU WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU LV
VDYHGLQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDVIROORZV
D

Sa

Sb

Sc






.






.





611
.

1
3


1




337










.







The procedure of establishment of guide star database for

GRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULVLQ)LJXUH

THE PROCEDURE OF STAR PATTERN RECOGNITION

ALGORITHM FOR STAR SENSOR
COORDINATE TRANSFORMATION
The star centroids in the image space coordinate system of the
VWDU VHQVRU DUH FDOFXODWHG ZLWK WKH VWDU FRRUGLQDWHV RI REVHUYHG

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A Star Pattern Recognition Algorithm for the Double-FOV Star Sensor

Figure 2.
7KHGLDJUDPRIVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29DUHWUDQVIRUPHG

UVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHVHFRQG)29
is the i WKVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVWDU
FRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHUVW)29n1 is the number of observed
VWDUVLQWKHUVW)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRU
If ZKLFKLVWKHLQFOXGHGDQJOHEHWZHHQWKHWZRRSWLFD[LV
GLUHFWLRQVRIWKH)29VLVHTXDWLRQFDQEHZULWWHQDV

Figure 1.
The procedure of establishment of guide star database for the double)29VWDUVHQVRU

stars in the photo coordinate system. The iWKREVHUYHGVWDUZLWKLQ

WKH)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRULVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV

THE PROCEDURE OF THE STAR PATTERN RECOGNITION

ALGORITHM
)LUVWO\DOOWKHVWDUFHQWURLGVIURPWKHVWDULPDJHVVDPSOHGE\WKH
WZR)29VRIWKHVWDUVHQVRUDUHVHOHFWHGDVWKHREVHUYHGVWDUV7KH
star coordinates of observed stars in the photo coordinate system
DUHREWDLQHGVLQJO\IURPHDFK)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUZLWKWKHFHQWURLGLQJDOJRULWKP7KHFHQWURLGLQJDOJRULWKPLVDVIROORZV

ZKHUHXi, Yi LVWKHVWDUFHQWURLGRIWKHi th observed star in the

SKRWRFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPX, Y LVWKHFHQWHURIWKHSKRWRFRRUdinate system. f is the focal length of the star sensor.
7KHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVSDFHFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHVHFRQG)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHWUDQVIRUPHGIURP
WKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHUVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVSDFHFRRUGLQDWH
V\VWHPRIWKHUVW)29VWDUVHQVRULQ)LJXUHDVIROORZV

ZKHUH





ZKHUHLVWKHLQFOXGHGDQJOHEHWZHHQWKHWZRRSWLFD[LVGLUHFWLRQVRIWKH)29V
is the i th star coordinates of the
26

Ix,yLVWKHLQGLYLGXDOSL[HOEULJKWQHVVR is the radius of the cenWURLGZLQGRZVx, y LVWKHFHQWHURIWKHFHQWURLGZLQGRZVxi,

yi  LV WKH VWDU FHQWURLG RI WKH i WK REVHUYHG VWDU LQ WKH )29 RI

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Li, Sun, and Zhang

the star sensor. TLVWKHWKUHVKROGYDOXHRISL[HOEULJKWQHVV7KH
star magnitude
T is calculated from the sum of the
LQGLYLGXDOSL[HOEULJKWQHVV7KHQXPEHURIWKHREVHUYHGVWDUVLQ
WKH UVW )29 LV n1. The set
is the star
centroids of the observed stars. The set
is the
star magnitude of the observed stars. The number of the observed
VWDUVLQUVW)29LVn. The set
is the
star centroids of observed stars.
is the star
magnitude of the observed stars.
6HFRQGO\ WKH VWDU FRRUGLQDWH
ZKLFKLVWKHi WKREVHUYHGVWDURIWKHUVW)29LQWKHLPDJHVSDFH
FRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHUVW)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRULVFDOFXODWHG
ZLWKWKHVWDUFHQWURLGRIWKHREVHUYHGVWDUV
and
the focal length of star sensor fXVLQJHTXDWLRQ7KHVWDUFRRUdinate
 ZKLFK LV WKH i th observed
VWDU RI WKH VHFRQG )29 LQ WKH LPDJH VSDFH FRRUGLQDWH V\VWHP
RIWKHVHFRQG)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRULVFDOFXODWHGZLWKWKHVWDU
centroid of observed stars
and the focal length
of star sensor f XVLQJ HTXDWLRQ  $OO WKH VWDU FRRUGLQDWHV
i RI WKH UVW )29 LQ WKH LPDJH
VSDFHFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHVHFRQG)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUDUH
FDOFXODWHGZLWKWKH
DQGHTXDWLRQ
6RWKHVXPnRIWKHREVHUYHGVWDUVLQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
LVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV




The set
LVWKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHGRXEOH)29LQWKHLPDJHVSDFHFRRUGLQDWH V\VWHP RI WKH VHFRQG )29 RI WKH VWDU VHQVRU$QG WKH
set
is the
VWDUPDJQLWXGHRIWKHREVHUYHGVWDUIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQsor. The set B is sorted in ascending order by star magnitude. At
the same time star coordinates
in the set W must
DOVR FRUUHVSRQGLQJO\ H[FKDQJH VHTXHQFH 6R WKH UVW EULJKWHVW
observed star is B1LQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU$QGWKHVWDU
coordinates of B1 are W1. The second brightest observed star is B
LQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU$QGWKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIB are
W2EYLRXVO\
is the darkest observed star in the double)29 VWDU VHQVRU$QG WKH VWDU FRRUGLQDWH RI
is
. The
FRVLQHYDOXHRIWKHLQWHUVWDUDQJOHEHWZHHQREVHUYHGVWDUB1 and
observed star B is wZKLFKLVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV

The

and

DUHFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV




ZKHUHWKHLVWKHUHFRJQLWLRQHUURUIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQsor.
The
is searched from the set D of the guide star database
IRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDVIROORZV




is searched from the set D of the guide star database

The
IRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDVIROORZV




Then




ZKHQn is the number of the set D.

2EYLRXVO\WKHDJVHWFLVDVIROORZV




All the elements are searched from the set FDVQHZVHWDJ

DVIROORZV




is the number of the set

.
ZKHQ
2EYLRXVO\WKHQHZVHW
of the sum of the cosine value of
WKHLQWHUVWDUDQJOHLVDVIROORZV






 RI WKH VWDU QXPEHU RI WKH UVW

All the elements of set
brightest star are selected from the structure of the guide star daWDEDVH IRU WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU$OO WKH HOHPHQWV RI VHW
of the star number of the second brightest star are selected
IURPWKHVWUXFWXUHRIWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29
star sensor. All the elements of set
of the star number of the
third brightest star are selected from the structure of the guide star
GDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU

The sum of the cosine value of the interstar angle is w,

ZKLFKLVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV





ZKHUH




If LVHTXDOWRWKHVXPRIWKHFRVLQHYDOXHRIWKHLQWHUVWDU
angle is wZKLFKLVFDOFXODWHGDVIROORZV


7KHDJf is calculated according to the number of the observed

VWDUVZLWKLQWKHUVW)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUIURPB1, B, and B3.
AUGUST 2015



ZKHUH

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A Star Pattern Recognition Algorithm for the Double-FOV Star Sensor

Figure 3.
7KHSURFHGXUHRIVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU



DQGWKHDJf is calculated. Then the procedure of the star pattern recognition is repeated.
If
LVHTXDOWRWKHVWDUQXPEHURIWKHUVWEULJKWHVWVWDU
LQWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULV
the observed star B1ZLWKLQWKH)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUWKHVWDU
number of the second brightest star
in the guide star database
IRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULVWKHREVHUYHGVWDUBZLWKLQWKH
)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUWKHVWDUQXPEHURIWKHWKLUGEULJKWHVWVWDU
LQWKHJXLGHVWDUGDWDEDVHIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULV
the observed star B3ZLWKLQWKH)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRU7KHRWKHU
28

REVHUYHGVWDUVZLWKLQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHLGHQWLHG
ZLWKB1, B, and B3.
If
 LV JUHDWHU WKDQ  WKH RWKHU REVHUYHG VWDUV ZLWKLQ WKH
GRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHVHOHFWHG7KHQWKHSURFHGXUHRIWKH
star pattern recognition is repeated until LVHTXDOWR

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

In order to validate the star pattern recognition algorithm for the
GRXEOH)29SUHVHQWHGLQWKLVDUWLFOHWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
LV VHOHFWHG7KH GRXEOH )29 LQFOXGHV WZR RSWLFDO KHDGV 2+V
DQG D FDPHUD HOHFWURQLFV XQLW &(8 (DFK 2+ LQFOXGHV D GH-

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Li, Sun, and Zhang

Figure 4.
7KHZRUNLQJVFKHPDWLFGLDJUDPRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU

tector and associated electronics and lens. The sensitivity of the

2+ RI WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU LV  0Y (DFK 2+ RI WKH
GRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRULVDQGWKHUHVROXWLRQRIWKHGHWHFWRU 2+ RI WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU LV SL[HOVSL[HOV
7KH SL[HO VL]H RI WKH GHWHFWRU RI WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU LV
PP7KHLQFOXGHGDQJOHEHWZHHQWKHWZRRSWLFD[LV
GLUHFWLRQVRIWKH2+VLV7KHVWDULPDJHVDUHVDPSOHGVLQJO\
E\WZR2+VDQGWKHQVHQWWRWKHQDYLJDWLRQV\VWHPVZLWKDORZ
YROWDJHGLIIHUHQWLDOVLJQDO/9'67KHVWDUFHQWURLGVDUHREWDLQHG
VLQJO\ZLWK)3*$IURPWZR2+VDQGWKHQVHQWWRWKH&(8ZLWK
/9'67KHQWKHVWDUFRRUGLQDWHVRIWKHGRXEOH)29LQWKHLPDJH
VSDFHFRRUGLQDWHV\VWHPRIWKHVHFRQG)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUDUH
FDOFXODWHGLQWKHGLJLWDOVLJQDOSURFHVVRU'63RIWKH&(87KH

Figure 5.
7KHSLFWXUHRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU

AUGUST 2015

star pattern recognition algoULWKPDQGWKH(624DOJRULWKP

DUHSURFHVVHGLQWKH'63RIWKH
&(87KHQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDU
VHQVRU RXWSXW TXDWHUQLRQ ZLWK
56)LJXUHLVWKHVFKHPDWLF
GLDJUDPRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDU
VHQVRUDQG)LJXUHLVWKHSLFWXUH
RIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
7KH H[SHULPHQWDO SURFHVV LV
DV IROORZV LQ )LJXUH  3XW WKH
GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU RQ WKH
WXUQWDEOH7KH56VHULDOSRUW
FRQQHFWLRQDQG/9'6VHULDOSRUW
connection are connected beWZHHQWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDQGWHVWFRPSXWHU3RZHUWKH
GRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRURQ7KH
star images are sampled by the
WZR2+VRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDU
sensor and sent to the test comSXWHU7KHVWDULPDJHVDUHVKRZQ
ZLWK 3+2726+23 in the test
FRPSXWHULQ)LJXUH
7KH *3,2B3,1 RI WKH
'63 RI WKH &(8 LV VHW KLJK
ZKLOH WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQsor begins to enter the star patWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKP7KHQ*3,2B3,1RIWKH'63RIWKH
&(8LVVHWORZZKLOHWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUFRPSOHWHVWKH
VWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKP6RWKHKLJKRXWSXWSXOVHZLGWK
*3,2B3,1RIWKH'63RIWKH&(8LVWKHWLPHWRLGHQWLI\VWDUV
RIWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKPIRUWKHGRXEOH)29VWDU
VHQVRU7KHSLQVWDWXVRIWKH*3,2B3,1RIWKH'63RIWKH&(8
LV WHVWHG ZLWK DQ RVFLOORVFRSH LQ )LJXUH 7KH WLPH WR LGHQWLI\
VWDUVRIWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKPIRUWKHGRXEOH)29
VWDUVHQVRULVPV
7KHVWDUFHQWURLGVDUHREWDLQHGVLQJO\ZLWK)3*$IURPWZR
2+VDQGWKHQVHQWWRWKH'63RIWKH&(87KH'63RIWKH&(8
RXWSXWVWKHDVVRFLDWHGTXDWHUQLRQWRWKHWHVWFRPSXWHUZLWK56
LIDOOWKHVWDUFHQWURLGVRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHUHFRJQL]HGFRUUHFWO\2WKHUZLVHWKH'63RIWKH&(8RXWSXWVWKHVLJQV
IRUWRWKHWHVWFRPSXWHUZLWK567KHQWKHVXPRIWKHVLJQV

Figure 6.
7KHH[SHULPHQWDOPHWKRGDWQLJKWVN\H[SHULPHQWZLWKWKHGRXEOH)29
star sensor.

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A Star Pattern Recognition Algorithm for the Double-FOV Star Sensor

Figure 7.
D6WDULPDJHVDPSOHGE\WKHUVW)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRUEVWDULPDJHVDPSOHGE\WKHVHFRQG)29RIWKHVWDUVHQVRU

Figure 9.
7KHRILQHFXUYHRI(XOHUDQJOHHUURUV

RIWKHHXOHUDQJOHRIWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDUHOHVVWKDQ
)LQDOO\WKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUIHDWXULQJWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQDOJRULWKPSUHVHQWHGZLOOEHRQERDUGDVFLHQWLFVDWHOOLWH
IRULQRUELWGHPRQVWUDWLRQLQ

CONCLUSIONS

Figure 8.
The time to identify stars of the star pattern recognition algorithm.

IRUWLPHVLVZKLOHVWDULPDJHVDUHVDPSOHGVLQJO\ZLWK
WZR 2+V RI WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU 6R WKH SUREDELOLW\ RI
VXFFHVVRIWKHVWDUSDWWHUQUHFRJQLWLRQIRUGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRU
LV7KHHUURUVRIWKHHXOHUDQJOHDUHFDOFXODWHGEHWZHHQ
WKHDVVRFLDWHGTXDWHUQLRQIURPWKHGRXEOH)29VWDUVHQVRUDQG
WKHUHDOTXDWHUQLRQZLWKWKHWHVWFRPSXWHU7KHQWKHRILQHFXUYH
RIHXOHUDQJOHHUURUVLVVKRZQZLWK0$7/$% in the test comSXWHULQ)LJXUH
7KH HUURUV RI WKH HXOHU DQJOH DUH FDOFXODWHG DV IROORZV
VLJPDSLWFKVLJPDUROODQG
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to identify stars of the star pattern recognition algorithm for the
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image singly and calculate attitude information in each single
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pattern recognition algorithm. Therefore, a novel star pattern
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Then the star coordinates in the image space coordinate system
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star coordinates of observed stars and the focal length of the
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IEEE A&E SYSTEMS MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2015

Li, Sun, and Zhang

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guide star database, but also the number of the observed stars in
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to improve the probability of success and to reduce the time to
identify stars for the star pattern recognition algorithm presented in this article. The attitude information in the image space
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featuring the star pattern recognition algorithm presented in
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7KHH[SHULPHQWUHVXOWVVKRZHGSHUFHQWSUREDELOLW\ RI VXFFHVV LQ  PV IRU WKH GRXEOH)29 VWDU VHQVRU IHDturing the star pattern recognition algorithm presented in this
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this article has high stability, real-time character, and reliability
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CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
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REFERENCES
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/LHEH&6WDUWUDFNHUVIRUDWWLWXGHGHWHUPLQDWLRQIEEE Aerospace and

Eletronic Systems Magazine9RO
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Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems9RO

[3] 6FKROO066WDUHOGLGHQWLFDWLRQIRUDXWRQRPRXVDWWLWXGHGHWHUmination. Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics 9RO  

[4] van Bezooijen, R. W. H. True-sky demonstration of an autonomous
star tracker. In Proceedings of SPIE9RO
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for real time attitude determination. Journal of the Astronautical Sciences9RO
'HQQLVRQ ( : DQG 6WDQWRQ 5 + 8OWUDSUHFLVH VWDU WUDFNLQJ XVLQJFKDUJHFRXSOHGGHYLFHV&&'VProceedings of SPIE9RO
Smart Sensors IISS
%ODUUH/DQG3HUULPRQ11HZPXOWLSOHKHDGVWDUVHQVRU+<'5$
GHVFULSWLRQ DQG GHYHORSPHQW VWDWXV D KLJKO\ DXWRQRPRXV DFFXUDWH
DQG YHU\ UREXVW V\VWHP WR SDYH WKH ZD\ IRU J\UROHVV YHU\ DFFXUDWH
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