Autonomous GPS-INS-Star satellite navigation system concept

A concept of autonomous 6 DOF GPS-INS-Star hybrid navigation system for general terrestrial spacecraft is proposed. It is shown that the proposed hybrid navigation system has an ability to provide high grade translational (position and velocity) and rotational (attitude and angular velocity) information under low to high satellite dynamics. It is also pointed out in this paper that either high grade inertial sensors or GPs receiver are not required to acquire excellent navigation accuracies so that this hybrid system should be very cost-effective. These results are checked and confirmed by computer simulations including GPS receiver dynamics.