Navigation Grade MEMS IMU for A Satellite.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Mechatronics
• Satellite Technology

Background:

• Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) are crucial for satellite navigation.
• Previous MEMS inertial measurement units (IMUs) have limitations in precision for demanding aerospace applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a navigation-grade MEMS IMU for the Lobster-Eye X-ray Satellite.
• To demonstrate the performance and precision of a novel six-axis MEMS gyroscope configuration.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a six-axis MEMS gyroscope redundant configuration for enhanced performance.
• Utilized mutual calibration between two-axis gyroscopes for improved accuracy.
• Employed customized and self-calibrated gyroscopes, adjusting parameters to achieve high precision.

Main Results:

• The MEMS IMU achieved a precision better than 0.02 °/h (1σ) in orbit.
• Demonstrated excellent bias instability of 0.006 °/h and angle random walk (ARW) of approximately 0.003 °/h^1/2.
• Achieved the highest precision for a commercial aerospace MEMS IMU reported globally.

Conclusions:

• The developed MEMS IMU meets navigation-grade requirements for space missions.
• The redundant configuration and calibration methods significantly enhance gyroscope performance.
• This technology represents a breakthrough in high-precision MEMS IMUs for commercial aerospace.