Angular velocity estimation based on star vector with improved current statistical model Kalman filter

Angular velocity information is a requisite for a spacecraft guidance, navigation, and control system. In this paper, an approach for angular velocity estimation based merely on star vector measurement with an improved current statistical model Kalman filter is proposed. High-precision angular velocity estimation can be achieved under dynamic conditions. The amount of calculation is also reduced compared to a Kalman filter. Different trajectories are simulated to test this approach, and experiments with real starry sky observation are implemented for further confirmation. The estimation accuracy is proved to be better than 10(-4) rad/s under various conditions. Both the simulation and the experiment demonstrate that the described approach is effective and shows an excellent performance under both static and dynamic conditions. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America