A system and methods for calculating an attitude and a position of an object in space are disclosed. Measurements in relation to an object, stars, and a signal timing are received at a combined orbit and attitude determination system to provide received measurements. An estimated separation angle error, an estimated position error, and an estimated attitude error are estimated based upon the received measurements to provide estimated errors.

A polar axis calibration system (100) comprises: a polar scope (10), a polar axis calibration control device (20) and a display device (30). The polar scope comprises an optical lens (11) and an image sensor (12) for collecting constellation images (IM); the polar axis calibration control device receives the constellation images from the polar scope and determines the position (P1) of the rotation center of the polar axis and the celestial pole position (P2), the position of the rotation center of the polar axis means the position of the rotation center (R0) of the polar axis (510) of the equatorial instrument in the plane of the constellation image, and the celestial pole position means the position of the celestial pole in the plane of the constellation image; and the display device is coupled to the polar axis calibration control device and used to display the constellation image, the celestial pole position and the position of the rotation center of the polar axis. The present invention also provides a polar scope, a polar axis calibration control device, as well as an equatorial instrument (500) and an astronomical telescope comprising the aforesaid polar scope or polar axis calibration system. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to align the celestial pole position directly with the rotation center of the polar axis, thus improving the calibration accuracy. Furthermore, it is possible to lower the requirements for the installation accuracy of the polar scope.

Systems that enable observing celestial bodies during daylight or in under cloudy conditions.

The present invention relates to a method for readjusting a parallactic or azimuthal mounting, comprising a device which is intended for positioning and moving a telescope with a camera and can be aligned and readjusted by means of at least one image sensor and an electromotorized controller, characterized in that the image sensor acts as a main recording sensor of the camera and at the same time as an alignment sensor and readjustment control sensor, wherein before and after a main image is taken at least one control image is taken with a shorter exposure time and these control images are compared with one another, or at least a main image itself acts as a control image and is compared with at least one previous main image, or a short-exposed control image is compared with the main image itself and the correction values for the readjustment of the mounting are determined by the image offset and the time difference of the images taken. The method is the prerequisite for easy, error-free operation of an astronomical mounting for the purpose of long-exposure astronomical photography.

A multi-beam optical phased array on a single planar waveguide layer or a small number of planar waveguide layers enables building an optical sensor that performs much like a significantly larger telescope. Imaging systems use planar waveguides created using micro-lithographic techniques. These imagers are variants of phased arrays, common and familiar from microwave radar applications. However, there are significant differences when these same concepts are applied to visible and infrared light.

Disclosed is a single star-based orientation method using a dual-axis level sensor, which includes a calibration process and an actual calculation process.

A star tracker determines a location or orientation of an object, such as a space vehicle, by observing unpolarized light from one or more stars or other relatively bright navigational marks, without imaging optics, pixelated imaging sensors or associated pixel readout electronics. An angle of incidence of the light is determined by comparing signals from two or more differently polarized optical sensors. The star tracker may be fabricated on a thin substrate. Some embodiments have vertical profiles of essentially just their optical sensors. Some embodiments include micro-baffles to limit field of view of the optical sensors.

A navigation system determines a position by referring to artificial or natural satellites or other space objects during daylight or when the objects are in a planet's shadow. A telescope and image sensor observe and image shadows of the objects as the objects transit the sun or a sunlit surface of a planet or moon, thereby solving problems related to the two key times during which traditional SkyMark navigation is difficult or impossible.

Technology for determining a position of a platform is described. A location of a horizon line can be determined using a sensor onboard the platform. One or more celestial objects in the sky can be detected using the sensor onboard the platform. Differential angular measurements between the horizon line and at least one of the celestial objects in the sky can be determined over a duration of time. The position of the platform can be determined based on the differential angular measurements between the horizon line and the celestial objects.

A chip scale star tracker that couples starlight into a lightguide such that the angle of incidence partially determines the mode of propagation of the starlight in the lightguide. A baffle system integrated with the lightguide prevents propagation of light incident from a predetermined range of angles.