RELATIVE ATTITUDE DETECTION SYSTEM OF ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES WITH LASER RADAR

摘要

PURPOSE:To check any action of satellites other than that necessary for docking by detecting relative attitudes of two artificial satellites receiving specifically modulated reflected laser beams from a plurality of targets of an aiming artificial satellite with a laser radar having a receiving directivity of a tracking artificial satellite. CONSTITUTION:A laser radar 5 of a tracking artificial satellite 2 having a receiving directivity receives and idendifies reflected waves from targets specific in the reflective modulation of an aiming artificial satellite 2. This determines the distance between the radar 5 and the targets 3a-3c and the coordinates of the targets 3a-3c rojected on the plane vertical to the axis of the radar 5. Based on these coordinates and known information such as positions of three axes 18a-18c of the radar 5 and three axes 14a-14c of the artificial satellite 2, coordinates are determined for the targets 3a-3c with axes 14a-14c as the axis of coordinate. The relative relationship between three axes 4a-4c of the artificial satellite 1 and the three axes 14a-14c of the artificial satellite 2 enables the detection of relative attitutdes of both satellites thereby eliminating unnecessary actions for the docking.