The Spacelab Instrument Pointing System (IPS) is a three axes gimbal system providing pointing and stabilization in the arcsec range to a variety of space experiments with a mass of up to 7000 kg. The IPS demonstrated a high performance and versatility in operations during its maiden flight, the Spacelab 2 mission onboard Challenger in July 1985. The mature mechanical design of the IPS together with the growth in processor and sensor technology revealed a considerable potential for further improvements at moderate effort. By incorporating advanced sensors, computers and software, the IPS pointing performance is improved and the range of IPS applications is widened. In order to achieve a high degree of IPS autonomy and automation, a new computer and software architecture has been conceived, yielding high independence from external services, automation of operational procedures and thus a simpler man-machine interface. The improved IPS is capable to perform closed loop tracking of moving objects. The IPS simulator PERFSIM demonstrates a tracking accuracy and stability being close to the inertial pointing performance. Taking full advantage of the IPS automation and autonomy features, the ultimate goal is to achieve full platform autonomy, that is to use the improved IPS as a self-contained tracking and pointing system on the Space Staion or other free-flying platforms.
Improvement Of The Spacelab Instrument Pointing System
Acquisition, Tracking, and Pointing II ; 1988 ; Los Angeles,CA,United States
Proc. SPIE ; 0887 ; 11
03.05.1988
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
An Instrument-Pointing System for Spacelab
NTIS | 1976
|An instrument-pointing system for spacelab
TIBKAT | 1976
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