Messerschmitt-bolkow-blohm Gmbh

Astrium Gmbh

Helmut Zinner

Willi Platz

Hermann Diehl

Evelyne Gottzein

A combined earth-star sensor system () for three-axis attitude determination of satellites in space comprises separate apertures with different directions of observation and common image pickup devices () for the earth sensor and the star sensor. A common optical arrangement () for earth observation and start observation, and a deflection mirror () for derivation of the laterally entering light from the earth, to the common optical arrangement () may be provided. In one focal plane there is a focal plane sensor with an array of image pickup devices () with the integration time being controllable. An evaluation unit determines the orbit and the attitude of the space vehicle from the attitude and movement of the stars and of the rim of the earth in the focal plane.

Combined earth/star sensor system and method for determining the orbit and position of spacecraft

An optical sensor for detecting targets and determining the characteristic motion of a missile approaching a target. In order to have a simple designed sensor and to provide for a simple transformation of the coordinates of the missile and of the target to be determined, the optical sensor has an optical system, which, with the help of a semitransparent mirror, forms an image of the scene lying within the field of view of the optical system onto two detectors. The first detector is a planar detector having a plurality of detector elements disposed in a matrix arrangement, onto which the scene is sharply imaged, whereas the second detector is a cross detector, which is configured outside of the focal point of the optical system. With this detector, the spatial and time derivatives of the light intensity incident on the optical system and, from it, the characteristic motions of the missile are determined.

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Haar, Germany

Helmut Zinner