Attitude control of the Ulysses interplanetary spacecraft is discussed. When the spacecraft's spin axis is not pointed to the Earth, the capability of the attitude measurement system is limited to the determination of the spin period and the Sun aspect angle. This limitation is highly critical for the first few days after the injection and for the first Trajectory Correction Maneuver (TCM). It is shown that Doppler radiometric measurements, collected primarily to estimate the spacecraft trajectory, are a valuable source of attitude information and that the attitude and orbit control system can be fully calibrated in flight using Doppler and Sun data. These techniques can be used to determine the spacecraft attitude after injection and to ensure that the first TCM is accurately carried out.
Doppler Measurements as a Source of Attitude Information for the Ulysses Spacecraft
1986
12 pages
Report
No indication
English
Attitude Determination of Spacecraft Ulysses with Precision Doppler Tracking
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1994
|'ULYSSES SPACECRAFT' COMPETITION
Online Contents | 1994
Ulysses spacecraft control and monitoring system
NTRS | 1991
|