Imaging modeling and error analysis of the star sensor under rolling shutter exposure mode

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Optical Engineering
• Astrophysics

Background:

• Star sensors are crucial for spacecraft attitude determination.
• High dynamic conditions and rolling shutter effects degrade star sensor accuracy.
• Centroid positioning error is a key metric for star sensor performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To model star spot imaging trajectory and energy distribution under rolling shutter exposure.
• To analyze the influence of star starting positions and spot dispersion on centroid positioning error.
• To provide a foundation for improving star sensor dynamic performance and accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Established imaging trajectory and energy distribution models for star spots.
• Utilized numerical simulations to analyze error sources.
• Conducted laboratory experiments to validate simulation results.

Main Results:

• Developed models accurately describe star imaging under rolling shutter.
• Simulation and experimental results show consistent error variations.
• Identified star starting position and spot dispersion as significant error contributors.

Conclusions:

• The proposed models effectively evaluate centroid positioning accuracy in rolling shutter mode.
• The identified error factors are critical for practical star sensor applications.
• This research paves the way for mitigating rolling shutter effects and enhancing star sensor precision.