ACS Without an Attitude

This book de-emphasizes the formal mathematical description of spacecraft on-board attitude and orbit applications in favor of a more qualitative, concept-oriented presentation of these topics. The information presented in this book was originally given as a set of lectures in 1999 and 2000 instigated by a NASA Flight Software Branch Chief at Goddard Space Flight Center. The Branch Chief later suggested this book. It provides an approachable insight into the area and is not intended as an essential reference work.

This book de-emphasizes the formal mathematical description of spacecraft on-board attitude and orbit applications in favor of a more qualitative, concept-oriented presentation of these topics. The information presented in this book was originally given as a set of lectures in 1999 and 2000 instigated by a NASA Flight Software Branch Chief at Goddard Space Flight Center.  The Branch Chief later suggested this book.  It provides  an approachable insight into the area and is not intended as an essential reference work.ACS Without an Attitude is intended for programmers and testers new to the field who are seeking a commonsense understanding of the subject matter they are coding and testing in the hope that they will reduce their risk of introducing or missing the key software bug that causes an abrupt termination in their spacecraft's mission.  In addition, the book will provide managers and others working with spacecraft with a basic understanding of this subject.

Preface.- Attitude Conventions & Definitions.- General Orbit Background.- Angular Momentum and Torque.- Attitude Measurement Sensors.- Attitude Actuators.- Reference Models.- Onboard Attitude Determination.- Spacecraft State Estimation more Broadly.- Onboard Orbit Computations.- Control Laws: General Qualities.- Control Laws: Attitude Applications.- Mission Characteristics.- Appendix A: Time Measurement Systems.- Appendix B:Variation on Deriving the Kalman Gain.- Index.