scholarly journals High-Precision Heading Determination Based on the Sun for Mars Rover

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yinhu Zhan ◽  
Shaojie Chen ◽  
Donghan He
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Autonomous Navigation ◽  
Atomic Clock ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Large Field ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Mars Rover ◽  
Safe Driving ◽  
Sun Sensor ◽  
Major Factors

Since the American Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on Mars in 2004, it has travelled more than 40 km, and heading-determination technology based on its sun sensor has played an important role in safe driving of the rover. A high-precision heading-determination method will always play a significant role in the rover’s autonomous navigation system, and the precision of the measured heading strongly affects the navigation results. In order to improve the heading precision to the 1-arcminute level, this paper puts forward a novel calibration algorithm for solving the comparable distortion of large-field sun sensor by introducing an antisymmetric matrix. The sun sensor and inclinometer alignment model are then described in detail to maintain a high-precision horizon datum, and a strict sun image centroid-extraction algorithm combining subpixel edge detection with circle or ellipse fitting is presented. A prototype comprising a sun sensor, electronic inclinometer, and chip-scale atomic clock is developed for testing the algorithms, models, and methods presented in this paper. Three field tests were conducted in different months during 2017. The results show that the precision of the heading determination reaches 0.28–0.97′ (1σ) and the centroid error of the sun image and the sun elevation are major factors that affect the heading precision.

Modelling Lunar Extremes

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Fisher ◽  
Lionel Sims
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Celestial Mechanics ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Landscape Context ◽  
The Sun ◽  
The Moon

Claims first made over half a century ago that certain prehistoric monuments utilised high-precision alignments on the horizon risings and settings of the Sun and the Moon have recently resurfaced. While archaeoastronomy early on retreated from these claims, as a way to preserve the discipline in an academic boundary dispute, it did so without a rigorous examination of Thom’s concept of a “lunar standstill”. Gough’s uncritical resurrection of Thom’s usage of the term provides a long-overdue opportunity for the discipline to correct this slippage. Gough (2013), in keeping with Thom (1971), claims that certain standing stones and short stone rows point to distant horizon features which allow high-precision alignments on the risings and settings of the Sun and the Moon dating from about 1700 BC. To assist archaeoastronomy in breaking out of its interpretive rut and from “going round in circles” (Ruggles 2011), this paper evaluates the validity of this claim. Through computer modelling, the celestial mechanics of horizon alignments are here explored in their landscape context with a view to testing the very possibility of high-precision alignments to the lunar extremes. It is found that, due to the motion of the Moon on the horizon, only low-precision alignments are feasible, which would seem to indicate that the properties of lunar standstills could not have included high-precision markers for prehistoric megalith builders.

scholarly journals Design, Ground Testing and On-Orbit Performance of a Sun Sensor Based on COTS Photodiodes for the UPMSat-2 Satellite

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4905
Author(s):  
Angel Porras-Hermoso ◽  
Daniel Alfonso-Corcuera ◽  
Javier Piqueras ◽  
Elena Roibás-Millán ◽  
Javier Cubas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Attitude Control ◽  
Response Curve ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Space Systems ◽  
Attitude Control System ◽  
Ground Testing ◽  
Sun Sensor ◽  
Early Results ◽  
Red Leds

This paper presents the development of the UPMSat-2 sun sensor, from the design to on-orbit operation. It also includes the testing of the instrument, one of the most important tasks that needs to be performed to operate a sensor with precision. The UPMSat-2 solar sensor has been designed, tested, and manufactured at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) using 3D printing and COTS (photodiodes). The work described in this paper was carried out by students and teachers of the Master in Space Systems (Máster Universitario en Sistemas Espaciales—MUSE). The solar sensor is composed of six photodiodes that are divided into two sets; each set is held and oriented on the satellite by its corresponding support printed in Delrin. The paper describes the choice of components, the electrical diagram, and the manufacture of the supports. The methodology followed to obtain the response curve of each photodiode is simple and inexpensive, as it requires a limited number of instruments and tools. The selected irradiance source was a set of red LEDs and halogen instead of an AM0 spectrum irradiance simulator. Some early results from the UPMSat-2 mission have been analyzed in the present paper. Data from magnetometers and the attitude control system have been used to validate the data obtained from the sun sensor. The results indicate a good performance of the sensors during flight, in accordance with the data from the ground tests.

scholarly journals Solar barycentric dynamics from a new solar-planetary ephemeris

2018 ◽  
Vol 615 ◽  
pp. A153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo G. Cionco ◽  
Dmitry A. Pavlov
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Orbital Motion ◽  
Giant Planets ◽  
Reference Plane ◽  
The Sun ◽  
The Future ◽  
Dynamical Parameters ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Invariable Plane ◽  
Planetary Theories

Aims. The barycentric dynamics of the Sun has increasingly been attracting the attention of researchers from several fields, due to the idea that interactions between the Sun’s orbital motion and solar internal functioning could be possible. Existing high-precision ephemerides that have been used for that purpose do not include the effects of trans-Neptunian bodies, which cause a significant offset in the definition of the solar system’s barycentre. In addition, the majority of the dynamical parameters of the solar barycentric orbit are not routinely calculated according to these ephemerides or are not publicly available. Methods. We developed a special version of the IAA RAS lunar–solar–planetary ephemerides, EPM2017H, to cover the whole Holocene and 1 kyr into the future. We studied the basic and derived (e.g., orbital torque) barycentric dynamical quantities of the Sun for that time span. A harmonic analysis (which involves an application of VSOP2013 and TOP2013 planetary theories) was performed on these parameters to obtain a physics-based interpretation of the main periodicities present in the solar barycentric movement. Results. We present a high-precision solar barycentric orbit and derived dynamical parameters (using the solar system’s invariable plane as the reference plane), widely accessible for the whole Holocene and 1 kyr in the future. Several particularities and barycentric phenomena are presented and explained on dynamical bases. A comparison with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory DE431 ephemeris, whose main differences arise from the modelling of trans-Neptunian bodies, shows significant discrepancies in several parameters (i.e., not only limited to angular elements) related to the solar barycentric dynamics. In addition, we identify the main periodicities of the Sun’s barycentric movement and the main giant planets perturbations related to them.

scholarly journals Long-Distance Time Transfer in Optical Fiber Networks Using a Cascaded Taming Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Ding Chen ◽  
Jiangning Xu ◽  
Yifeng Liang ◽  
Shan Jiang ◽  
Hongyang He
Keyword(s):  
Optical Fiber ◽  
High Precision ◽  
Wavelength Division Multiplexing ◽  
Time Synchronization ◽  
Atomic Clock ◽  
Process Time ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Time Service ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
Fiber Link

In order to meet the time service needs of high-precision, long-distance, and multinode optical network, this paper proposes a new time synchronization solution, which combines the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology with cascaded taming clock technology. The WDM technology is used for time synchronization between each pair of master-slave nodes. In the system, there are two wavelengths on the fiber link between the master node and the slave node for transmitting signals. 1 plus per second (PPS) signal, time code signal, and 10 MHz signal are, respectively, and successively, sent to the optical fiber link. By solving the one-way delay through analysis of error contribution and link characteristics of the time transmission process, time synchronization of the master-slave nodes pair is achieved. Furthermore, the authors adopt cascaded taming clock technology to ensure accurate time synchronization of each node. A 700 km long-distance time-frequency synchronization system is constructed in the laboratory. The system uses a cesium atomic clock as the reference clock source and transmits the signals through 8 small rubidium atomic clocks (RB clocks) hierarchically. Results from the experiment show that the long-term time stability is 47.5 ps/104 s. The system’s structural characteristics and the experiment results meet the requirements to allow practical use of high-precision time synchronization in networks. This proposed solution can be applied in various civil, commercial, and military fields.

Optical System Design of High-Precision Static Star Simulator with Large Field of View

2014 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 052202
Author(s):  
陈启梦 Chen Qimeng ◽  
张国玉 Zhang Guoyu ◽  
王哲 Wang Zhe ◽  
张健 Zhang Jian
Keyword(s):  
System Design ◽  
High Precision ◽  
Optical System ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Optical System Design

scholarly journals Flexible method for accurate calibration of large-scale vision metrology system based on virtual 3-D targets and laser tracker

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 172988141989351
Author(s):  
Xi Zhang ◽  
Yuanzhi Xu ◽  
Haichao Li ◽  
Lijing Zhu ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Precision ◽  
Stereo Vision ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Vision System ◽  
Calibration Method ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Large Field ◽  
Laser Tracker ◽  
Calibration Target ◽  
Pose Tracking

For the purpose of obtaining high-precision in stereo vision calibration, a large-size precise calibration target, which can cover more than half of the field of view is vital. However, large-scale calibration targets are very difficult to fabricate. Based on the idea of error tracing, a high-precision calibration method for vision system with large field of view by constructing a virtual 3-D calibration target with a laser tracker was proposed in this article. A virtual 3-D calibration target that covers the whole measurement space can be established flexibly and the measurement precision of the vision system can be traceable to the laser tracker. First, virtual 3-D targets by calculating rigid body transformation with unit quaternion method were constructed. Then, the high-order distortion camera model was taken into consideration. Besides, the calibration parameters were solved with Levenberg–Marquardt optimization algorithm. In the experiment, a binocular stereo vision system with the field of view of 4 × 3 × 2 m3 was built for verifying the validity and precision of the proposed calibration method. It is measured that the accuracy with the proposed method can be greatly improved comparing with traditional plane calibration method. The method can be widely used in industrial applications, such as in the field of calibrating large-scale vision-based coordinate metrology, and six-degrees of freedom pose tracking system for dimensional measurement of workpiece, as well as robotics geometrical accuracy detection and compensation.

scholarly journals Proxima’s orbit around α Centauri

2017 ◽  
Vol 598 ◽  
pp. L7 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Kervella ◽  
F. Thévenin ◽  
C. Lovis
Keyword(s):  
Radial Velocity ◽  
High Precision ◽  
Orbital Period ◽  
Triple System ◽  
Orbital Motion ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
Velocity Measurements ◽  
Degree Of Confidence ◽  
High Degree

Proxima and α Centauri AB have almost identical distances and proper motions with respect to the Sun. Although the probability of such similar parameters is, in principle, very low, the question as to whether they actually form a single gravitationally bound triple system has been open since the discovery of Proxima one century ago. Owing to HARPS high-precision absolute radial velocity measurements and the recent revision of the parameters of the α Cen pair, we show that Proxima and α Cen are gravitationally bound with a high degree of confidence. The orbital period of Proxima is ≈ 550 000 yr. With an eccentricity of 0.50+0.08-0.09, Proxima comes within 4.3+1.1-0.9 kau of α Cen at periastron, and is currently close to apastron (13.0+0.3-0.1 kau). This orbital motion may have influenced the formation or evolution of the recently discovered planet orbiting Proxima, as well as circumbinary planet formation around α Cen.

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