Spacecraft accelerometer auto-alignment

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A spin-stablized spacecraft has a pair of three-axis accelerometers (A, C) mounted on the spacecraft rotor (10) to provide for self-aligning, enduring and sophisticated navigational capability. A second pair of accelerometers (B, D) is added for redundancy and added sensitivity. Each pair of accelerometers are disposed at diametrically opposed positions on the rotor and respective axes co-aligned. The orientation of spacecraft angular momentum ? is determined by star and planet sensors. Radial alignment of each accelerometer relative to the spacecraft angular momentum is attained by zeroing non-radial accelerometer readings during spacecraft quiescence. Axial alignment is attained during …