A Survey on Star Identification Algorithms

The author surveys algorithms used in star identification, commonly used in star trackers to determine the attitude of a spacecraft. Star trackers are a staple of attitude determination systems for most types of satellites. The paper covers: (a) lost-in-space algorithms (when no a priori attitude information is available), (b) recursive algorithms (when some a priori attitude information is available), and (c) non-dimensional algorithms (when the star tracker calibration is not well-known). The performance of selected algorithms and supporting algorithms are compared.