Some aerospace applications of estimation theory
G. Moek · Research Repository (Delft University of Technology) · 1991
In this report, the application of estimation theory to three problems from aerospace research is described. The applications considered deal with spacecraft attitude estimation, software reliability modelling and estimation, and with a satellite-based navigation algorithm. Maximum likelihood estimation is used in the software reliability case and mean-square estimation in the other two applications. An adaptive iterated extended Kalman filter is evaluated on the basis of simulated and real spacecraft attitude measurement data. Results based on different combinations of attitude measurements and sensor models are compared. A satellite-based navigation algorithm using a spline approximation of a vehicle trajectory and a recursive non-linear least squares estimation algorithm is described. Its application to simulated pseudo range measurements shows the potential of accurate position determination. Maximum likelihood parameter estimation for four software reliability models is analysed. Conditions are derived pertaining to the existence of bounded solutions of the likelihood equations. Uniqueness of such solutions is proofed for two of the four models. Some results of the application to both simulated and real software failure time are given.