Accurate Pointing Determination of Space Targets under the Stars Background

Abstract

This study proposes a method for determining the direction of space targets using existing satellite constellations. Usually, when optical satellites point towards deep space for imaging, stars inevitably appear in the image. This study conducts all targets extraction, star identification, camera calibration. Ultimately obtaining high-precision space targets longitude and latitude information. One of the Jilin-1 GF06A series satellite was used to conduct observation experiments on space targets of this study. Each scene has an exposure time of 10 seconds, and a total of 90 seconds of observation data was obtained. This study analysed the results of star extraction and the identification result which indicate that GF06A can capture a maximum magnitude of 15.6. After using the extraction star coordinate information for calibration, the interior accuracy of camera was better than 0.48 arcseconds. Then, the precise longitude and latitude information of 5 space targets were obtained. Finally, cataloguing information of these stars is provided, which is beneficial for determining the orbit of the target in the future.