Nanosatellite's rotational motion parameters determination using light sensor and angular velocity sensor measurements

Abstract

The paper proposes an approach to the determination (recovery) of parameters of the SamSat nanosatellite rotational motion using data from the TCS3472 RGB light sensors and the MPU-9250 angular velocity sensors that are part of the on-board unit of SamSat nanosatellite platform, developed at Samara University, and the light sensors are used for monitoring the operation of solar panels. The use of this type of sensor enhances the navigation capabilities of the platform, for example, light sensors can be used in the event of the failure of one or more measuring instruments. The main difference of this sensor from the solar sensor is the impossibility of determining the direction vector on the Sun by one measurement. The resulting estimation of angular motion can be used, for example, to link scientific data to the orientation of a nanosatellite during post-flight processing of experimental data.