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ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: ZENODO
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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A Computational "Star-Tracker" Algorithm for Autonomous Satellite Attitude Determination Utilizing the Vedic 27-Nakshatra Grid

Authors: Anjali Umeshchandra Mishra; Aroul Rosario;

A Computational "Star-Tracker" Algorithm for Autonomous Satellite Attitude Determination Utilizing the Vedic 27-Nakshatra Grid

Abstract

Modern satellite Attitude Determination and Control Systems (ADCS) rely heavily on star trackers to solve the "Lost-in-Space" (LIS) problem. However, traditional star-matching algorithms, such as the Triangle or Geometric Voting methods, require extensive star catalogs and significant onboard memory. These requirements pose a major challenge for resource-constrained Nano-satellites and CubeSats. This paper introduces a novel Vedic-Grid Algorithm, a computationally efficient framework that utilizes the ancient Indian 27-Nakshatra celestial partitioning system as a pre-indexing grid for star identification. By dividing the celestial ecliptic into 27 discrete sidereal sectors—each spanning 13 degrees and 20 minutes—the algorithm implements a hierarchical search strategy. The system first identifies a primary "Yogatara" (a junction star or anchor star) to determine the specific Nakshatra sector where the satellite is currently pointed. This initial step effectively reduces the active search space by approximately 96.3 percent. Once the sector is localized, a secondary refinement process uses small, localized sub-catalogs to calculate the precise three-axis orientation of the spacecraft. Preliminary simulations indicate that this Vedic-inspired partitioning significantly decreases the Time-to-First-Fix (TTFF) and minimizes CPU cycles compared to non-indexed global searches. This approach demonstrates that bridging ancient celestial geometry with modern computational astrophysics offers a robust, lightweight, and high-speed solution for autonomous satellite navigation in deep space.

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average