ATS-6 Spacecraft Attitude Precision Pointing & Slewing Adaptive Control Experiment

The primary objective of the Spacecraft Attitude Precision Pointing and Slewing Adaptive Control (SAPPSAC) Experiment is to establish feasibility and evaluate capabilities of a ground-based spacecraft attitude control system, wherein RF command and telemetry links, together with a ground station on-line minicomputer, perform closed loop attitude control of the Applications Technology Satellite -6 (ATS-6). The ground processor is described, including operational characteristics and the controller software. Attitude maneuvers include precision pointing to fixed targets, slewing between targets, and generation of prescribed ground tracks. Test results show high performance and reliability for over 30 h of on-line control with no serious anomalies. Attitude stabilization relative to a prescribed target has been achieved to better than 0.007° in pitch and roll and 0.020° in yaw for a period of 43 min. Ground tracks were generated which had maximum latitude/longitude deviations less than 0.150 from reference.